Title: Storm-time Equatorial Thermospheric Dynamics and Electrodynamics

Abstract: The dynamics and electrodynamics of the equatorial upper atmosphere have been extensively studied in the past five decades using ground- and space-based instrumentation and theoretical models. However, there are still outstanding questions regarding the strong variations observed in the equatorial thermospheric winds and ionospheric F-region plasma drifts following enhanced energy deposition into the high-latitude ionosphere during geomagnetic storms. We used extensive observations of ionospheric plasma drifts from the Jicamarca Incoherent Scatter Radar and of thermospheric neutral winds from a network of Fabry-Perot Interferometers recently deployed in the central region of Peru to significantly extend the current understanding of the equatorial disturbance winds, disturbance dynamo plasma drifts and their strong coupling. We show that the nighttime disturbance winds are mostly westward with strongest magnitudes around midnight and during equinox. We present an empirical model that provides significantly more accurate representation of these disturbances. Similarly, the disturbance dynamo vertical plasma drifts show stronger dependence with solar flux and geomagnetic activity than previously reported, and showed an equinoctial asymmetry for storm-time conditions. Finally, showed the highly coupled dynamics of the F-region zonal plasma drifts and neutral winds and, for the first time, empirical evidence of magnetospheric effects over the thermospheric winds.

Bio: Dr. Navarro recently joined the Remote Sensing and Space Sciences Group in the ECE Department at UIUC as a PostDoctoral Research Associate. He earned his PhD in Physics this year from Utah State University and, previously hold an Electrical Engineering degree from the San Marcos Major National University in Peru, where he is from. 

 During his doctoral years, he worked under the supervision of Prof. Bela Fejer on the geomagnetic effects of the equatorial thermosphere and ionosphere using ground-based instrumentation. Before joining graduate school, he worked for several years in the Jicamarca Radio Observatory where he worked for different optical remote sensing projects. In particular, he was involved on the deployment, support and generation of data products from the Fabry-Perot Interferometer network in Peru.