Coordinated Observation and Investigation of Ionospheric Sporadic E Layer

In this integrated project, we plan to continue the works of building a new meter radar that was proposed to MOST two years ago, which is expected to be installed at Chung-Li ionosonde station. With this professional, operational meteor radar combined with the ionospheric data obtained by FORMOSAT-7, Chung-Li VHF radar, meteor radar, and ionosonde, an attempt is made to study the following unresolved issues associated with ionospheric Es layer: (1) Using the underdense meteor echoes detected by the meteor radar, we plan not only to observe and study neutral wind and atmospheric tide in Mesospheric and Lower Ionosphere (MLT) region, but also to investigate the lower/upper atmospheric coupling; (2) We plan to use FORMOSAT-3 in combination with Chung-Li VHF radar, Chung-Li ionospnde, and meteor radar to study the formation mechanism of ionospheric Es layer and to clarify the roles played by the neutral wind, electric field, and plasma instability in the formation of the Es layer; (3) On the basis of data collected by FORMOSAT-3, VHF radar, ionosonde, and meteor radar, we plan to clarify the physical factors that dominate the formations of blob and layer types of the Es layer; (4) With the same data sat, we would like to study the long-term relation between occurrences of the Es layer and the meteor trails, including seasonal and annual variations; (5) A database platform and data distribution procedure will be established in this project. In addition to the neutral wind, temperature, diffusive coefficient in MLT region obtained by the operational meteor radar, the other ionospheric data observed by other radars will be also archived in the database or the use of scientist to investigate ionosphere and MLT region.