USAP-DC

{"dp_type": "Project", "free_text": "Mesosphere"}

[{"awards": "2110422 Gardner, Chester", "bounds_geometry": null, "dataset_titles": "First Simultaneous Lidar Observations of Thermosphere-Ionosphere Fe and Na (TIFe and TINa) Layers at McMurdo (77.84S, 166.67E), Antarctica with Concurrent Measurements of Aurora Activity, Enhanced Ionization Layers, and Converging Electric Field", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "200593", "doi": "10.17632/3ykf8xz8kc.2", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "Mendeley", "science_program": null, "title": "First Simultaneous Lidar Observations of Thermosphere-Ionosphere Fe and Na (TIFe and TINa) Layers at McMurdo (77.84S, 166.67E), Antarctica with Concurrent Measurements of Aurora Activity, Enhanced Ionization Layers, and Converging Electric Field", "url": "https://data.mendeley.com/datasets/3ykf8xz8kc/2"}], "date_created": "Fri, 02 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Data Management Plan for NSF Grant OPP-2110422\r\n\tThe primary observational data utilized for this project are Fe densities, Na densities, temperatures, and vertical winds in the mesopause region (80\u2212100 km) and in the thermosphere of 100\u2212200 km region obtained with the Fe Boltzmann lidar and Na Doppler lidar operated by Professor Xinzhao Chu\u2019s group at the University of Colorado Boulder. The data acquisition is funded by NSF Grant OPP-2110428. Once the derived atmospheric parameters are validated and their accuracies determined by Professor Chu\u2019s group, they will deposit the data into the NSF CEDAR (Coupling, Energetics, and Dynamics of Atmospheric Regions) Madrigal Database: https://cedar.openmadrigal.org/index.html \r\n\t\r\nThe published experimental data arising from Professor Gardner\u2019s research funded by NSF Grant OPP-2110422 has been deposited in the Mendeley Data Repository: \r\n\r\n\u2022\t(Chu et a., 2020, https://doi.org/10.1029/2020GL090181) https://data.mendeley.com/datasets/3ykf8xz8kc/2\r\n\u2022\t(Chu et al., 2022, https://doi.org/10.1029/2021JD035728) https://data.mendeley.com/datasets/6t76ty4rjj/2\r\n\u2022\t(Jandreau et al., 2026, https://doi.org/10.1029/2026GL124048) https://data.mendeley.com/datasets/5r8cv9xfj3/3 \r\n\r\nThe modeling software arising from Professor Gardner\u2019s research funded by NSF Grant OPP-2110422 (viz. WACCM \u0026 WACCM-RR) is maintained by the National Center for Atmospheric Research. WACCM6 code is available as part of the CESM2 release, please follow the following instructions on how to download: http://www.cesm.ucar.edu/models/cesm2/release_download.html. The specific tag used for this simulation was the cam6.2.011 development tag of CESM version 2 (https://github.com/ESCOMP/CAM/releases/tag/cam6_2_011). The model code used in this study is publicly available via GitHub and archived on Zenodo and available at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19630764. The code is released under the MIT License and the repository includes all scripts required to reproduce the figures presented in this paper. The raw model data and processed data used to produce the figures in this paper are archived on CEDA (Kupilas, Egan, \u0026 Marsh, 2026; https://catalogue.ceda.ac.uk/uuid/04d7581f7c024e669bea5624993f8a95/). \r\n", "east": null, "geometry": null, "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "ATMOSPHERIC TEMPERATURE; Mesosphere; McMurdo; AURORAE", "locations": "McMurdo; Mesosphere", "north": null, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Astrophysics and Geospace Sciences", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Gardner, Chester", "platforms": null, "repo": "Mendeley", "repositories": "Mendeley", "science_programs": null, "south": null, "title": "Collaborative Research: Fe and Na Lidar Investigations of Geospace-Atmosphere Temperature, Composition, Chemistry, and Dynamics at McMurdo, Antarctica", "uid": "p0010587", "west": null}, {"awards": "1543446 Palo, Scott", "bounds_geometry": null, "dataset_titles": "MADRIGAL DATABASE", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "200561", "doi": "10.17616/R31351", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "CEDAR MADRIGAL DATABASE", "science_program": null, "title": "MADRIGAL DATABASE", "url": "http://www.re3data.org/repository/r3d100011783"}], "date_created": "Mon, 30 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "The Arctic and Antarctic are unique for the upper atmospheric research as these polar regions affect significantly the dynamics of planetary atmospheric circulations. Like the oceans, Earth\u0027s atmosphere experiences planet-wide gravitational tides caused by the Moon. In addition to planetary atmospheric waves of various scale caused by Earth\u0027s rotation, the largest amplitude of upward-propagating, thermally forced atmospheric tides are generated by the periodic heating of the atmosphere by the Sun ? the atmosphere is heated during the day and not heated at night. All of these phenomena transport heat and momentum from the lower atmosphere into the upper atmosphere. Understanding the coupling of these waves between both the Northern and Southern hemispheres and from the lower atmosphere to the ionosphere and upper atmosphere will lead to the key processes responsible for transporting energy throughout the entire atmosphere-ionosphere system. This award will let scientists investigate the spatial-temporal structure and variability of the Antarctic mesosphere and lower thermosphere circulation at high latitudes. For this goal, a state-of-the-art meteor radar system will be installed at McMurdo Station, which then will provide hourly mean velocities of the zonal and meridional neutral winds between 80 and 100 km altitude operating continuously 24/7 through the year. Two existing models, the Modern Era Retrospective-Analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA) and the Global-Scale Wave Model (GSWM), will be employed to analyze radar observations in the global context. The collected data will be published almost instantaneously at a project website and provided to the NSF-supported CEDAR/Madrigal database and the Antarctic Master Directory. The project supports and trains one graduate and one undergraduate students; a young professional research assistant will also be involved in this effort. To broaden participation of underrepresented groups, students from the University of Colorado Summer Multicultural Access to Research and Training program will be engaged to locate qualified students to participate on this project.", "east": null, "geometry": null, "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "McMurdo; ATMOSPHERIC WINDS", "locations": "McMurdo", "north": null, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Astrophysics and Geospace Sciences", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Palo, Scott; Forbes, Jeffrey M; Rainville, Nicholas", "platforms": null, "repo": "CEDAR MADRIGAL DATABASE", "repositories": "CEDAR MADRIGAL DATABASE", "science_programs": null, "south": null, "title": "Lower Thermospheric Science using New Meteor Radars at McMurdo and WAIS Divide", "uid": "p0010560", "west": null}, {"awards": "0538672 Palo, Scott", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-180 -60,-144 -60,-108 -60,-72 -60,-36 -60,0 -60,36 -60,72 -60,108 -60,144 -60,180 -60,180 -63,180 -66,180 -69,180 -72,180 -75,180 -78,180 -81,180 -84,180 -87,180 -90,144 -90,108 -90,72 -90,36 -90,0 -90,-36 -90,-72 -90,-108 -90,-144 -90,-180 -90,-180 -87,-180 -84,-180 -81,-180 -78,-180 -75,-180 -72,-180 -69,-180 -66,-180 -63,-180 -60))", "dataset_titles": null, "datasets": null, "date_created": "Thu, 31 Jul 2014 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "The mesosphere and lower thermosphere (MLT), at an altitude between 80 and 120 km above the Earth\u0027s surface, is a highly dynamic region that couples the lower terrestrial atmosphere (troposphere and stratosphere) with the upper atmosphere near-Earth space environment (thermosphere and ionosphere). Of particular importance in this region are both the upward propagating thermally forced atmospheric tides and global scale planetary waves. Both of these phenomena transport heat and momentum from the lower atmosphere into the upper atmosphere. Studies in recent years have indicated that the Arctic and Antarctic MLT possess a rich spectrum waves and may be more sensitive to global change than the lower atmosphere. The primary goal of this research is to observe, quantify, model, and further understand the spatial-temporal structure and variability of the MLT circulation above Antarctica and its commonalities with the Arctic. A secondary goal is to quantify and understand the deposition of mass into the upper atmosphere through the ablation of meteors and the resulting effect on local and regional aeronomic processes. This includes the effect of meteor flux, temperature and dynamics on the seasonal distribution of sodium over the South Pole. Meteor radar was installed at the South Pole Amundsen-Scott station and has been running continuously since January 2002. A new sodium nightglow imager will be installed at the South Pole to infer the sodium abundance in the MLT. Observations from this instrument will be combined with the South Pole Fabry-Perot interferometer temperature measurements and the meteor radar wind and meteor flux measurements to improve our understanding of the sodium chemistry and dynamics. These observations will be interpreted using sophisticated numerical models and interpreted in conjunction with Arctic measurements along with current linear and nonlinear atmospheric models to advance the current understanding of processes important to the MLT region. This research also contributes to the training and education of the graduate and undergraduate students, a postdoc and early career tenure track faculty.", "east": 180.0, "geometry": "POINT(0 -89.999)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "Not provided", "locations": null, "north": -60.0, "nsf_funding_programs": null, "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Palo, Scott; Avery, James; Avery, Susan", "platforms": "Not provided", "repositories": null, "science_programs": null, "south": -90.0, "title": "Collaborative Studies of the Antarctic Mesosphere and Lower Thermosphere", "uid": "p0000491", "west": -180.0}, {"awards": "0542164 Taylor, Michael", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-180 -60,-144 -60,-108 -60,-72 -60,-36 -60,0 -60,36 -60,72 -60,108 -60,144 -60,180 -60,180 -63,180 -66,180 -69,180 -72,180 -75,180 -78,180 -81,180 -84,180 -87,180 -90,144 -90,108 -90,72 -90,36 -90,0 -90,-36 -90,-72 -90,-108 -90,-144 -90,-180 -90,-180 -87,-180 -84,-180 -81,-180 -78,-180 -75,-180 -72,-180 -69,-180 -66,-180 -63,-180 -60))", "dataset_titles": "Quantifying the Role of Short-Period Gravity Waves on the Antarctic Mesospheric Dynamics Using an Advanced Mesospheric Temperature Mapper", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "600060", "doi": "10.15784/600060", "keywords": "Antarctica; Atmosphere; Meteorology; Radiosonde; South Pole", "people": "Taylor, Michael", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Quantifying the Role of Short-Period Gravity Waves on the Antarctic Mesospheric Dynamics Using an Advanced Mesospheric Temperature Mapper", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/600060"}], "date_created": "Fri, 21 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "A focused plan is presented to investigate the role and importance of short period (\u003c1 hour) gravity waves on the dynamics of the Antarctic Mesosphere and Lower Thermosphere (MLT) region (~80-100 km). Excited primarily by deep convection, frontal activity, topography, and strong wind shears in the lower atmosphere, these waves transport energy and momentum upwards where they have a profound influence on the MLT dynamics. Most of the wave forcing is expected to occur at mid-and low-latitudes where such sources predominate. However, short-period waves (exhibiting similar characteristics to mid-latitude events) have now been detected in copious quantities from research sites on the Antarctic Peninsula and the coastal regions exhibiting strong anisotropy in their dominant horizontal motions (and hence their momentum fluxes). Radiosonde measurements have established the existence of ubiquitous gravity wave activity at South Pole but, to date, there have been no detailed measurements of the properties of short-period waves at MLT heights deep in the Antarctic interior. In particular, the South Pole Station is uniquely situated to investigate the filtering and penetration of these waves into the MLT region, a substantial fraction of which may be ducted waves traveling over vast geographic distances (several thousand km). Novel image measurements at South Pole Station combined with existing measurement programs will provide an unprecedented capability for quantifying the role of these gravity waves on the regional MLT dynamics over central Antarctica. This research also contributes to the training and education of both the graduate and undergraduate students.", "east": 180.0, "geometry": "POINT(0 -89.999)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "Not provided", "locations": null, "north": -60.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Astrophysics and Geospace Sciences", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Taylor, Michael", "platforms": "Not provided", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -90.0, "title": "Quantifying the Role of Short-Period Gravity Waves on the Antarctic Mesospheric Dynamics Using an Advanced Mesospheric Temperature Mapper", "uid": "p0000684", "west": -180.0}, {"awards": "0839084 Ortland, David", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-63 -59,-62 -59,-61 -59,-60 -59,-59 -59,-58 -59,-57 -59,-56 -59,-55 -59,-54 -59,-53 -59,-53 -59.6,-53 -60.2,-53 -60.8,-53 -61.4,-53 -62,-53 -62.6,-53 -63.2,-53 -63.8,-53 -64.4,-53 -65,-54 -65,-55 -65,-56 -65,-57 -65,-58 -65,-59 -65,-60 -65,-61 -65,-62 -65,-63 -65,-63 -64.4,-63 -63.8,-63 -63.2,-63 -62.6,-63 -62,-63 -61.4,-63 -60.8,-63 -60.2,-63 -59.6,-63 -59))", "dataset_titles": "Large- and Small-scale Dynamics and Meteor Studies in the MLT with a New-generation Meteor Radar on King George Island", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "600107", "doi": "10.15784/600107", "keywords": "Antarctica; Atmosphere; Meteorology; Meteor Radar", "people": "Janches, Diego; Fritts, David", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Large- and Small-scale Dynamics and Meteor Studies in the MLT with a New-generation Meteor Radar on King George Island", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/600107"}], "date_created": "Mon, 15 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5). The project will employ a sophisticated meteor radar at the Brazilian Antarctic station Comandante Ferraz on King George Island for a number of synergetic research efforts of high interest to the international aeronomical community. The location of the radar will be at the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula - at a critical southern latitude of 62 degrees - to fill a current measurement gap from 54 to 68 degrees south. The radar will play a key role in Antarctic and inter-hemispheric studies of neutral atmosphere dynamics, defining global mesosphere and lower thermosphere structure and variability (from 80 to 105 km) and guiding advances of models accounting for the dynamics of this high-altitude region, including general circulation models, and climate and numerical weather prediction models. The unique radar measurement sensitivity will enable studies of: (1) the large-scale circulation and planetary waves, (2) the tidal structure and variability, (3) the momentum transport by small-scale gravity waves, (4) important, but unquantified, gravity wave - tidal interactions, (5) polar mesosphere summer echoes, and (6) meteor fluxes, head echoes, and non-specular trails, a number of which exhibit high latitudinal gradients at these latitudes. This radar will support extensive collaborations with U.S. and other scientists making measurements at other Antarctic and Arctic conjugate sites, including Brazilian scientists at C. Ferraz and U.S. and international colleagues having other instrumentation in the Antarctic, Arctic, and within South America. Links to the University of Colorado in the U.S., Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (INPE) in Brazil and Universidad Nacional de La Plata in Argentina will provide unique research opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students in the U.S. and South America.", "east": -53.0, "geometry": "POINT(-58 -62)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "Not provided", "locations": null, "north": -59.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Astrophysics and Geospace Sciences", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Fritts, David; Janches, Diego", "platforms": "Not provided", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -65.0, "title": "Large- and Small-scale Dynamics and Meteor Studies in the MLT with a New-generation Meteor Radar on King George Island", "uid": "p0000670", "west": -63.0}, {"awards": "0839119 Wu, Qian", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-68.1 -63.8,-67.29 -63.8,-66.48 -63.8,-65.67 -63.8,-64.86 -63.8,-64.05 -63.8,-63.24 -63.8,-62.43 -63.8,-61.62 -63.8,-60.81 -63.8,-60 -63.8,-60 -64.1,-60 -64.4,-60 -64.7,-60 -65,-60 -65.3,-60 -65.6,-60 -65.9,-60 -66.2,-60 -66.5,-60 -66.8,-60.81 -66.8,-61.62 -66.8,-62.43 -66.8,-63.24 -66.8,-64.05 -66.8,-64.86 -66.8,-65.67 -66.8,-66.48 -66.8,-67.29 -66.8,-68.1 -66.8,-68.1 -66.5,-68.1 -66.2,-68.1 -65.9,-68.1 -65.6,-68.1 -65.3,-68.1 -65,-68.1 -64.7,-68.1 -64.4,-68.1 -64.1,-68.1 -63.8))", "dataset_titles": null, "datasets": null, "date_created": "Mon, 12 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5). This project will deploy a new Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI) at the U.S. Palmer Station located in the Antarctic Peninsula. The FPI will observe mesospheric and thermospheric neutral winds and temperatures using multiple nightglow emissions (OH, 892 nm, 87 km; O 557.7 nm, 97 km; O 630 nm, 250 km; and O2 (0-1) 865 nm, 94 km). The project\u0027s team will collaborate with Australian scientists who operate similar FPI instruments at their Antarctic stations Mawson and Davis to jointly analyze the neutral wind and temperature data distributions over the continent and address the following scientific problems: (1) Thermospheric neutral winds effects on the Weddell Sea Anomaly, (2) Non-migrating tides in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere, (3) Lower thermospheric meridional wind circulation and mesosphere wind shear, (4) High-latitude geomagnetic field effects on the mid-latitude thermosphere, and (4) Conjugacy studies of the mesosphere and thermosphere with the incoherent scatter radar and FPI observations from Millstone Hill, Massachusetts. The fieldwork and analysis efforts associated with this project are highly suitable for involvement and research training of graduate students.", "east": -60.0, "geometry": "POINT(-64.05 -65.3)", "instruments": "EARTH REMOTE SENSING INSTRUMENTS \u003e PASSIVE REMOTE SENSING \u003e SPECTROMETERS/RADIOMETERS \u003e INTERFEROMETERS \u003e FPI", "is_usap_dc": false, "keywords": "GROUND STATIONS; Thermospheric Winds; Fpi", "locations": null, "north": -63.8, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Astrophysics and Geospace Sciences", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Wu, Qian", "platforms": "LAND-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e PERMANENT LAND SITES \u003e GROUND STATIONS", "repositories": null, "science_programs": null, "south": -66.8, "title": "Collaborative Research: Thermospheric Neutral Wind Observation from the Antarctic Peninsula", "uid": "p0000472", "west": -68.1}, {"awards": "0438777 Fritts, David", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-180 -60,-144 -60,-108 -60,-72 -60,-36 -60,0 -60,36 -60,72 -60,108 -60,144 -60,180 -60,180 -63,180 -66,180 -69,180 -72,180 -75,180 -78,180 -81,180 -84,180 -87,180 -90,144 -90,108 -90,72 -90,36 -90,0 -90,-36 -90,-72 -90,-108 -90,-144 -90,-180 -90,-180 -87,-180 -84,-180 -81,-180 -78,-180 -75,-180 -72,-180 -69,-180 -66,-180 -63,-180 -60))", "dataset_titles": "Correlative Antarctic and Inter-Hemispheric Dynamics Studies Using the MF Radar at Rothera", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "600040", "doi": "10.15784/600040", "keywords": "Antarctica; Atmosphere; Meteorology; Radar", "people": "Fritts, David", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Correlative Antarctic and Inter-Hemispheric Dynamics Studies Using the MF Radar at Rothera", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/600040"}], "date_created": "Mon, 16 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "This proposal is to continue operation and scientific studies with the middle-frequency (MF, 1-30 MHz) mesospheric radar deployed at the British Antarctic station Rothera in 1996. This system is now a key site in the Antarctic MF radar chain near 68 deg. S, which includes also MF radars at Syowa (Japan) and Davis (Australia) stations. This radar comprises the winds component of a developing instrument suite for the mesosphere-thermosphere (MLT) studies at Rothera - a focus of the new BAS 5-year plan, which also includes the Fe temperature lidar (formerly at South Pole) and the mesopause airglow imager for gravity wave studies (formerly at Halley). The Rothera MF radar has just had its antennas and electronics upgraded to achieve better signal-to-noise ratio and more continuous measurements in height and time. The main focus of the proposed research is to extend the knowledge of the polar mesosphere dynamics. The instrument suite at Rothera is ideally positioned for correlative interhemispheric studies with northern hemisphere sites at Poker Flat, Alaska (65 deg. N) and ALOMAR, Norway (69 deg. N) having comparable instrumentation. Further research efforts performed with continued funding will focus on: (1) multi-instrument collaborative studies at Rothera to quantify as fully as possible the dynamics, structure, and variability of the MLT at that location, (2) multi-site (and multi-instrument) studies of large-scale dynamics and variability in the Antarctic (together with the radars and other instrumentation at Davis and Syowa), and (3) interhemispheric studies employing instruments (e.g., the Na resonance lidar and MF radar) at Poker Flat and ALOMAR. It is expected that these studies will lead to a more detailed understanding of (1) mean, tidal, and planetary wave structures at polar latitudes, (2) seasonal, inter-annual, and short-term variability of these structures, (3) hemispheric differences in the tidal and planetary wave structures arising from different source and wave interaction conditions, and (4) the relative influences of gravity waves in the two hemispheres. Such studies will also contribute more generally to an increased awareness of the role of high-latitude processes in global atmospheric dynamics and variability.", "east": 180.0, "geometry": "POINT(0 -89.999)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "Not provided", "locations": null, "north": -60.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Astrophysics and Geospace Sciences", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Fritts, David", "platforms": "Not provided", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -90.0, "title": "Correlative Antarctic and Inter-Hemispheric Dynamics Studies Using the MF Radar at Rothera", "uid": "p0000021", "west": -180.0}, {"awards": "0636706 Sivjee, Gulamabas", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-180 -60,-144 -60,-108 -60,-72 -60,-36 -60,0 -60,36 -60,72 -60,108 -60,144 -60,180 -60,180 -63,180 -66,180 -69,180 -72,180 -75,180 -78,180 -81,180 -84,180 -87,180 -90,144 -90,108 -90,72 -90,36 -90,0 -90,-36 -90,-72 -90,-108 -90,-144 -90,-180 -90,-180 -87,-180 -84,-180 -81,-180 -78,-180 -75,-180 -72,-180 -69,-180 -66,-180 -63,-180 -60))", "dataset_titles": "NCAR Coupling, Energetics and Dynamics of Atmospheric Regions (CEDAR) Data System ID# 5700 (full data link not provided)", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "000137", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "NCAR", "science_program": null, "title": "NCAR Coupling, Energetics and Dynamics of Atmospheric Regions (CEDAR) Data System ID# 5700 (full data link not provided)", "url": "http://cedarweb.hao.ucar.edu/"}], "date_created": "Thu, 23 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "This project will provide for the continued operation and data analysis of an electro-optical remote sensing facility at South Pole Station. The facility will be used to examine 1) the source(s) and propagation of patches of enhanced plasma density in the F-region of the Antarctic ionosphere, 2) changes in the Antarctic E-region O/N2 ratio in the center of the night-sector of the auroral oval and compare the ratios with those found in the sun-aligned auroral arcs in the Polar Cap region, 3) Antarctic middle atmosphere disturbances generated by Stratospheric Warming Events (SWE), 4) quantitative characterization of the effects of solar variability on the temperature of the upper mesosphere region, 5) Antarctic thermospheric response to Solar Magnetic Cloud/Coronal Mass Ejection (SMC/CME) events, and 6) the effects of Joule heating on the thermodynamics of the Antarctic F-region. Data for all these studies will come from two sets of remote-sensing facilities at SPS: 1) Auroral emissions brightness measurements from the sun-synchronous Meridian Scanning Photon Counting Multichannel photometer; 2) Airglow and Auroral emission spectra recorded continuously during Austral winter at SPS with the high throughput, high resolution Infrared Michelson Interferometer as well as Visible - Near Infrared CCD spectrographs. \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMeridional variations in the brightness of F-region\u0027s auroral emissions provide the necessary data for investigations of the dynamics and IMF control, as well as the excitation mechanism(s), of the F-region patches. The brightness of auroral emissions from O and N relative to those from molecular species (O2 and N2) can be analyzed to assess, quantitatively, changes in the thermospheric composition. These data (from continuous (24 hours a day) measurements during the totally dark six months of each Austral winter at SPS) will be used to investigate the effects of solar-terrestrial disturbances on Antarctic thermospheric composition and thermodynamics, including response of the mesopause to solar cycle variations. Changes in airglow temperature (derived from OH and O2 bands), from different mesosphere/lower-thermosphere (MLT) heights, permit studies of the dynamical effects of Planetary, Tidal and Gravity waves propagating in the MLT regions as well as non-linear interactions among these waves. Coupling of different atmospheric regions over SPS, through enhanced gravity wave activities during SWE that lead to a precursor as Mesospheric cooling, will be investigated through the observed changes in MLT kinetic air temperature and density. \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe project will enhance the infrastructure for research and education at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, bringing together the PI/Co-I and students from Departments of Physical Sciences and Aerospace Engineering. Graduate and undergraduate students will participate in modern research and software development.", "east": 180.0, "geometry": "POINT(0 -89.999)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "Not provided", "locations": null, "north": -60.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Astrophysics and Geospace Sciences", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Gulamabas, Sivjee; Azeem, Syed", "platforms": "Not provided", "repo": "NCAR", "repositories": "NCAR", "science_programs": null, "south": -90.0, "title": "Observations of Upper Atmospheric Energetics, Dynamics, and Long-Term Variations over the South Pole Station", "uid": "p0000292", "west": -180.0}]

View results on map Help on results map