The goal of this project is to conduct robust scientific analysis of large amounts of incoherent scatter radar (ISR) observations of the terrestrial ionosphere within the framework of a new educational curriculum for undergraduate and graduate students. The ISR data, which have been acquired from multiple facilities over the past several decades, are historically under-utilized, and this project addresses several targeted areas of upper atmospheric research to be pursued by students under the mentorship of the principal investigator. These research topics - assessment of long term trends, response to changes in solar activity, and characterizing the midnight temperature maximum - represent long-standing areas of significant importance to geospace science goals. The project will focus on specific research questions within these areas, which are both well suited for individual student projects as well as scientifically justified based on pilot studies and a thorough consideration of existing literature.
