This wiki page is for the joint REU project on the effects of geomagnetic storms on the ionosphere. The two parts of this project are:

• High-latitude Ionospheric Investigations - Marc Miskin

  • This sub-project will focus primarily on ground-based observations. The primary data analysis activities will use the MIT Haystack Madrigal database, (http://www.openmadrigal.org), which contains large quantities of experimental ionospheric measurements. This student will focus on combining observations using ground-based (GPS total electron content, incoherent scatter radar, HF radar backscatter network) and space based (DMSP satellite) instrumental platforms. Data from experimental radar observations conducted specifically for this project with the MIT Millstone Hill (Westford, MA) and PFISR (Poker Flat, Alaska) incoherent scatter radar systems will also be incorporated. Mentors: Phil Erickson and Bill Rideout

• Space-based Views of Ionospheric Storms - Rebecca Cooper

  • This sub-project will focus primarily on analyzing space-based observations from the FORMOSAT-3/COSMIC constellation of satellites. The ground-based incoherent scatter radar measurements of the Millstone Hill and PFISR radars will provide background context. The focus of this study is to study ionospheric storm-time dynamics by incorporating new types of satellite data. FORMOSAT-3/COSMIC is a recently launched system of 6 satellites whose primary sensor is a GPS radio occultation receiver. The occultation technique enables measurements which contain high-resolution information about vertical gradients in the ionospheric electron density. Mentors: Anthea Coster and Bill Rideout