RAPID: Study Ocean-Ionosphere-Thermosphere Connections Using Data from Transportable Dynasonde System Deployed in Marina, California

This award will allow the continuation of operating a Transportable Dynasonde System (TDS) that was deployed in Marina, CA as part of an AFOSR/DURIP project. The TDS provides unique capabilities in detecting and measuring wave and km-scale irregularity activities at ionospheric altitudes. This operation of the system in Marina, CA is unique in that there are no other research ionosondes on the US west coast, and this is the first time a Dynasonde system is able to collect data near the Pacific Ocean. The project expects to obtain strong evidence of the very significant role the ocean plays in moderating day-to-day wave activity at thermospheric altitudes. The project is multi-discipline in nature and transformative by itself. The results can be of great value to atmospheric modeling, HF propagation field, infrasound applications, planning of ocean observations, and environmental research. This award extends the TDS operation in Marina, CA beyond December 2022 until the end of May 2023. The extended observational period will enable the study of long-term correlations between the ~0.2 Hz infrasound (microbaroms) generated by the ocean and km-scale irregularities in the ionosphere with the goal to reveal causal relationships between the two phenomena. To study the gravity wave coupling between the ocean and the atmosphere the Lomb-Scargle spectral correlation technique will be used. Wave packet detection techniques and reverse ray tracing will also be applied to resolve the positions of wave sources in select cases. The investigators will look into the correlation between the ionospheric wave activity and the tropospheric wind to distinguish ocean-generated atmospheric gravity waves from mountain-generated atmospheric gravity waves. Spectral analysis of the data obtained by the TDS’s infrasound station will be conducted to reveal the microbarom component. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.