1. Ionospheric Science, Models and Databases at Haystack Observatory
Haystack Observatory/Lincoln Laboratory Collaboration Workshop
March 9, 2007

2. Madrigal Database/Virtual Observatory
Distributed, open-source, standards-based local databases that share metadata and have VO-features built in
●AMISR

3. The Madrigal database stores data from a wide variety of upper atmosphere research instruments in the Cedar database format.
Incoherent Scatter Radar
TEC via GPS
MF Radar
Cedar database format
Loading programs can be
written in Python, C, or Tcl
Other instrument types in Madrigal: Meteor radar, Digisonde, Fabry-Perot, Geophysical indices

4. What is the local Madrigal database?
User
Web services API
Python API
Matlab API
Allows for easy VO access
From anywhere on internet
Web
interface
Database standard – Cedar file format
Metadata standard – Madrigal standard
Real-time and historical data

5. How is Madrigal a Virtual Observatory?
Searches from local Madrigal site can link to any other site
User chooses whether
the search is local or
includes all Madrigal
sites
Implemented via shared,
standard metadata

6. eGY, IPY, IHY
All inspired by the success of the 1957 International Geophysical Year 50 years ago
eGY – The electronic Geophysical Year
IPY – The International Polar Year
Starts March 2007
IHY – The International Heliophysical Year (2007)
For space physics, all three overlap

7. Millstone / Sondrestrom Convection Model
Arecibo
Electron density annual variations derived from long-term datasets
for worldwide ISRs
Shigaraki
Lower Midlatitudes
St Santin
Millstone
East Asia
Subauroral
Millstone / Sondrestrom Convection Model
Midlatitude
Tromso
Sondrestrom
Highlatitude
Svalbard
America Sector
European Sector

8. St Santin, June, km

9. Storm-Time Penetration Electric Fields

10. Ring Current / SAPS/ SED Plume (Sub Auroral Polarization Stream Electric Field)
AURORAL OVAL
Duskside Region-2 FACs close poleward across low-conductance gap
SAPS: Strong poleward Electric Fields are set up across the sub-auroral ionosphere
SAPS erodes the cold plasma of the ionosphere and the outer plasmasphere
LOW S SAPS E FIELD

11. Magnetosphere-Ionosphere Coupling at the Plasmasphere Boundary Layer
GPS/ISR Study of Flux of Plasmaspheric Material to the Magnetopause

12. September 2005 wind features
Fall climatology
In the lower thermosphere at mid-latitudes, the dominating feature of a wind flow is a strong tidal signature of 12-hour wave. It has downward phase propagation (i.e. upward energy propagation) indicating that tides are originated at lower altitudes and propagate upwards. Tidal features vary considerably with altitude, season and from day to day, and sources driving this variability are not well understood.
One of the unexpected findings during Sep 2005 ISR World month was a large magnitude of wind for both zonal and meridional components. The left part of the figure shows zonal (top) and meridional (bottom) components of neutral wind is September 2005, while right part of the figure shows average wind during fall equinox obtained from many years of data. In September 2005, the semidiurnal pattern is dominant, as expected for mid-latitude location, and phases are similar to average phases, but magnitude of the wind is much larger, indicating a very strong semidiurnal tide. The wind magnitude in Sep 2005 is stronger than average summertime wind (and summer is traditionally the season with largest winds). Preliminary comparisons with TIMED TIDI data show that TIDI fall 2005 winds are higher than during other years. It might indicate large interannual variability in mesospheric and lower thermospheric dynamics. The sources and mechanisms driving interannual variability at mid-latitudes are not understood, and we are looking for more experimental and theoretical evidence.
Wind magnitude in September 2005 is higher than average wind during fall equinox for both zonal and meridional components

13. MIT Haystack Observatory Atmospheric Sciences Group
Haystack Observatory's Atmospheric Sciences Group studies all levels of the atmosphere using incoherent scatter radar (ISR) and distributed arrays of radiowave instruments such as Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers.
The group has been operating for more than forty years, collecting ionospheric measurements spanning a range of latitudes covering most of Eastern North America. Most of these measurements are available from the Madrigal Database.
Recent GPS measurements have extended this to global coverage.
The unique location of Millstone Hill near the Earth's plasmapause, combined with the wide reach of the Millstone Hill steerable antenna, have made it a premier facility for mid-latitude ionospheric research, magnetospheric studies and thermospheric measurements.
In addition to improving our fundamental understanding of the near-Earth environment, this research has immediate relevance to the welfare of people and our technological society since it contributes to the development of improved space weather alerts and storm predictions.