European Space Weather Week 2025

Polar region thermospheric wind observations

Not scheduled

20m

Mon 27/10: Idun - Tue 28/10, Wed 29/10: Studion

Poster SWR4 - Interactions in the Earth’s Magnetosphere-Ionosphere-Thermosphere System and their Space Weather Impact SWR4 –Interactions in the Earth’s Magnetosphere-Ionosphere-Thermosphere System and their Space Weather Impact

Speaker

Mr Qian Wu (National Center for Atmospheric Rsearch)

Description

Polar cap is the source region of the space weather disturbances, which expand to mid and low latitudes. Large southward IMF Bz leads to strong cross polar cap potential generating intense Joule heating from ion neutral collisions. To understand how much Joule heating is generated, one must know the thermospheric winds. Over the years, NCAR has been operating ground based Fabry Perot interferometers (FPI) monitoring the thermospheric winds in the Canadian Arctic region. The ground based FPI however can only operate during the winter season. NCAR also operates FPI on stratosphere balloons (HIWIND), which can observe thermospheric winds during the summertime. NCAR is currently building WindCube CubeSat, which will provide more affordable satellite wind observations in the polar region during all seasons to support space weather research. This report will give an overview of thermospheric wind observation activities at NCAR and how the wind observations can be used to in space weather research.