HLE Workshop
CEDAR Meeting Boulder, Colorado June 20, 1998

High Latitude E-Region Dynamics, Energetics and Processes:
Rockets at Sondrestrom?

This new workshop will address the complex dynamics, energetics and processes at play in the high-latitude E region and discuss the outstanding problems in the field. An important contribution to E-region studies will come from the planned TIMED mission.  However, the measurement suite on board TIMED is limited and complementary measurements are required to fully develop an understanding of the processes involved.  In fact, the basic lack of plasma measurements on board TIMED does not permit the E region electrodynamics and energetics to be studied sufficiently.  Thus, a TIMED/CEDAR subgroup was formed to study the means by which combined satellite and ground-based instrumentation may be used to study the complex coupling between ions and neutrals in the E region. A number of topics at the recent TIMED/CEDAR meeting were discussed by the ion-neutral coupling subgroup with the global and local distribution of the Joule heating rate being the “hottest” topic of discussion.

This workshop builds from the discussions made within the TIMED/CEDAR ion-neutral subgroup and introduces rockets as an important measurement complement to advancing studies of the E region. Considering the need for detailed plasma measurements from the ground, it seems apparent that a measurement program needs to be developed that will combine TIMED measurements, ground-based measurements both optical and RF, and rocket measurements to enable new results in the areas of E-region dynamics, electrodynamics, energetics and their processes. The Sondrestrom radar facility may well provide the means and flexibility to carry out such a program.

Schedule
3:30 - 3:40  Introduction of workshop
3:40 - 3:50  Summary of ion-neutral coupling subgroup discussions
3:50 - 4:10  Overview of Sondrestrom capabilities  and rocket considerations
4:10 - 5:00  Brief science presentations
5:00 - 5:30  Measurement requirements and planning
 
 

Attendance: 36 participants