Science goals and objectives: the goal of this study is to investigate ionospheric irregularities at low and midlatitudes and to identify the processes responsible for their occurrence. Objectives…

The Trustees of Boston University received a $484,459 research grant awarded January 1, 2022, by a civilian federal agency with a completion date of December 31, 2026. This non-set-aside grant supports scientific investigation of ionospheric irregularities at low and mid-latitudes using data from NASA's Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON) satellite. The research objectives include analyzing equatorial processes that intrude into mid-latitudes, identifying locally-generated irregularities, and examining ionospheric behavior during geomagnetic active periods. The study will utilize ion velocity meter data from ICON's 27-degree inclination orbit at approximately 600 kilometers altitude to characterize plasma densities and velocities, with complementary ground-based observations from all-sky imagers and Global Navigation Satellite System total electron content data.

This research directly addresses the operational impact of ionospheric irregularities on communications and navigational systems in traditionally benign mid-latitude regions. The investigation will distinguish between equatorial spread F structures that extend poleward during magnetic storms and locally-generated medium-scale traveling ionospheric disturbances, resolving ongoing scientific debate about the origins of mid-latitude plasma depletions. Boston University, a comprehensive research institution with extensive expertise in space science and federal research partnerships, will conduct the analysis at its Boston, Massachusetts location, leveraging its established capabilities in supporting NASA and other federal agencies' scientific investigations.

Science goals and objectives: the goal of this study is to investigate ionospheric irregularities at low and midlatitudes and to identify the processes responsible for their occurrence. Objectives include the analysis of intrusion of equatorial processes into midlatitudes and identification of irregularities generated locally and how they differ from the ones generated at lower latitudes. Case studies during geomagnetic active days will also be investigated. In order to achieve this goal and objectives data from icon will be analyzed. Icon s orbit is in a 27O inclination at ~600 KM and allows US to study the low and midlatitude ionosphere through the use of ION velocity meter (IVM) plasma densities and velocities. During quiet geomagnetic conditions ionospheric perturbations associated with equatorial spread f are usually observed in the 0-15O magnetic latitude range. Poleward from this range the common nighttime structure is related to medium scale travelling ionospheric disturbances (mstids), generated locally. During high magnetic activity studies have shown that ESF structures can reach midlatitudes. But other studies have claimed that the depletions are not related to ESF but are generated locally (i.e., mstids). This study will investigate the characteristics of plasma data at different latitudes. IT will also look at data during high geomagnetic activity. The study aims to address the adverse effects of ionospheric irregularities on communications and navigational systems in a region that historically has been considered to be benign . Complementary information for notable cases will be obtained from all-sky imagers and total electron content (TEC) data from individual global navigation satellite system (gnss) receivers. These ground-based data will be used to help to interpret icon data and will not be the primary object of the investigation. Methodology: the IVM instrument on board of icon will provide ION density and velocity data to identify nighttime ionospheric perturbations at low and midlatitudes. We will investigate the in-situ data in the american longitude sector with emphasis in processes occurring in continental US, central america, caribbean region, and south america. The IVM data will be analyzed by implementing a signal detrending procedure that can deal with situations when plasma depletions and wave-like fluctuations are present. Once depleted ION density signatures are identified we will perform power spectrum analysis using short time fourier transform to extract the relevant parameters related to the irregularities scale sizes. For notable cases, the trajectory of icon will be mapped along magnetic field line to 250 KM in both hemispheres. This mapping assumes that large scale perturbations observed in-situ by icon bear relation to the ionospheric conditions at 250 KM. Conjunctions with all-sky imagers and ground-based gnss receivers will be identified. Selected gnss-derived TEC data will be analyzed, and rate of change of TEC and power spectrum will be obtained. The 2D observations from all-sky imagers can provide spatial and temporal context to satellite and GPS data. Relevance to heliophysics goal or specific objectives: the proposed work has direct relevance to one of the four high-level science goals from the most recent heliophysics goal or specific objectives. IT will address the dynamics and coupling of earth s magnetosphere, ionosphere, and atmosphere, through the study of ionospheric irregularities at low and midlatitudes regions. This study will develop the knowledge and capability to detect conditions in the upper atmosphere that can adversely affect radio communication and navigational systems. IT will also advance our understanding of the connections between solar variability and earth space environment.