HR: 1340h
AN: SA13A-1074    [Abstracts]
TI: Vertical transport in the ionosphere derived from near-infrared spectroscopy of the aurora
AU: * Zettergren, M D
EM: mattzett@gmail.com
AF: ECE Dept. and Center for Space Physics, Boston University, 8 St. Marys St. Rm. 324, Boston, MA 02115, United States
AU: Semeter, J
EM: jls@bu.edu
AF: ECE Dept. and Center for Space Physics, Boston University, 8 St. Marys St. Rm. 324, Boston, MA 02115, United States
AU: Sivjee, G G
EM: sivjee@erau.edu
AF: Phyisical Science Department, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, 600 South Clyde Morris Boulevard, Daytona Beach, FL 32114, United States
AU: Azeem, I
EM: Azeem71d@erau.edu
AF: Phyisical Science Department, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, 600 South Clyde Morris Boulevard, Daytona Beach, FL 32114, United States
AU: Blelly, P
EM: Pierre-Louis.Blelly@cnrs-orleans.fr
AF: CNRS-LPCE, 3A av. de la Recherche Scientifique, Orleans, Cedex 2, 45071, France
AU: Diaz, M
EM: mardiaz@bu.edu
AF: ECE Dept. and Center for Space Physics, Boston University, 8 St. Marys St. Rm. 324, Boston, MA 02115, United States
AB: This work presents a new technique for estimating vertical ion transport from photometric measurements of the aurora. The procedure involves (1) estimating the incident precipitating particle spectrum by inversion of multi- wavelength optical measurements in the magnetic zenith, (2) applying this incident spectrum to a theoretical fluid- kinetic model to estimate the ionospheric response. The forward model used in our procedure is a variant of the TRANSCAR model, originally developed to study high-latitude flux-tube dynamics. Our technique uses near infrared (NIR) brightness measurements of N2 1P, N2⁺ Meinel, O⁺ 732-733 nm, and O 844.6 nm. These emissions provide optimal access to the critical soft (< 300 eV) portion of the primary electron spectrum as well as adequately characterizing the keV component associated with visible aurora. The technique is validated using coordinated optical and incoherent scatter radar measurements from the Sondrestrom, Greenland research facility. Our technique represents a new use for NIR spectrograph data and a new tool for remotely sensing ionospheric dynamics and associated mass-coupling with the magnetosphere. ISR is currently the only remote sensing diagnostic for thermal ion upflows. Our approach constitutes an alternative that is less complex and less costly than ISR. Furthermore, a dense network of optical sensors can possibly be deployed en masse to provide global coverage of bulk ion motion. This research is also cast in the broader context of estimation of ionospheric state parameters via remote sensing. Preliminary work on estimation of ionospheric variables, other than upward flux, through optical measurements is discussed.
DE: 2437 Ionospheric dynamics
DE: 2447 Modeling and forecasting
DE: 2481 Topside ionosphere
DE: 2704 Auroral phenomena (2407)
DE: 6969 Remote sensing
SC: SPA-Aeronomy [SA]
MN: 2007 Fall Meeting