Chemical response of neutral atmosphere to pulsating aurora

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15H06213
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Space and upper atmospheric physics
• Research Institution: National Institute of Polar Research (2016-2017); The University of Electro-Communications (2015)
• Principal Investigator: Takahashi Toru 国立極地研究所, 研究教育系, 研究員 (40759833)
• Research Collaborator: HOSOKAWA Keisuke 電気通信大学, 情報理工学(系)研究科, 准教授 ; TSUDA Takuo 電気通信大学, 情報理工学(系)研究科, 助教 ; NOZAWA Satonori 名古屋大学, 宇宙地球環境研究所, 准教授 ; OGAWA Yasunobu 国立極地研究所, 研究教育系, 准教授
• Project Period (FY): 2015-08-28 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 脈動オーロラ / ナトリウムライダー / EISCATレーダー

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We use simultaneous observations from the sodium lidar and EISCAT radar to quantitavely evaluate Na density depletion during the extended period of the pulsating aurora (PsA). In this study, we revealed that this depletion is the consequence of charge transfer reactions between Na atoms and molecular ions (NO+ and O2+) produced by high-energy electron precipitations PsA.
Furthermore, the temporal resolution of the sodium density observed with the sodium lidar has been improved from 5 sec to 0.2 sec. The high speed observation of the sodium lidar and EISCAT allow us to evaluate the sodium density depletion harmonized with the PsA.

Free Research Field

電離圏物理学