E3D-BRITE: EISCAT_3D-based reconstruction of ionosphere-thermosphere electrodynamics
The EISCAT3D-Based Reconstruction of Ionosphere-Thermosphere Electrodynamics (E3D-BRITE) project addresses a grand challenge in space physics: How do electric currents in Earth's ionosphere evolve in time within a three-dimensional volume and on spatial scales smaller than 100 km? This question has been impossible to answer because of a lack of truly 3D measurements of the coupled ionosphere-thermosphere system. Using the trailblazing EISCAT_3D facility, I propose to address three fundamental questions directly related to this challenge: Q1: What is the role of small-scale (10s of km), 3D ionospheric currents in the development of meso- and large-scale auroral ionospheric current systems? Q2: How are the 3D properties of the ionosphere and thermosphere modified in the presence of an auroral arc? Q3: How does the neutral wind impact energy dissipation and ionospheric conductivities?
About the research project
Answering these questions requires tools and techniques that do not currently exist.Â
Drawing on our expertise on ionosphere-thermosphere (IT) physics, data assimilation techniques, empirical modeling, and radar systems, my team and I will:
- Create and disseminate an open-source reconstruction technique that uses EISCAT_3D measurements to reconstruct a coherent picture of 3D IT electrodynamics on scale sizes of several kilometers, far beyond the current state of the art.
- Design and implement an EISCAT_3D experiment that is optimized for investigating 3D small-scale structures on the shortest timescales achievable with EISCAT_3D over the altitude range ~90–150 km.Â
I will use this technique to carry out the following scientific studies that answer Q1, Q2, and Q3 above:
- Comparison and validation of 3D volumetric current estimation methods
- Generation and dissipation of kilometer-scale 3D ionospheric currents
- Auroral current closure in the presence of 3D conductivity gradients
- Neutral wind modification of plasma instabilities in the 3D auroral ionosphere
Additional information about the project (including team members, funding, and publications) are found at the project page on .
People
Project manager
Spencer Mark Hatch Researcher
Project members
Jens Christian Hessen PhD Candidate
Karl Magnus Laundal Associate Professor
Kjellmar Oksavik Professor
Professor, UiT The Arctic University of Norway
Associate Professor, UiT The Arctic University of Norway
University Lecturer, University of Oulu