Using a network of digital ionospheric sounders (dynasondes) deployed in the Norwegian Arctic, this proposal intends to study the physics of the high-latitude ionosphere. This study, which is to be conducted in collaboration with European researchers from the UK and Scandinavian countries, will utilize data from three instruments that span the region from Northern Norway to Svalbard. The dynasondes will be within the field of view of the incoherent scatter radars and hence will benefit from detailed measurements over small ionospheric volumes. A primary emphasis of this study will be to learn more about the physics of the dayside ionospheric cusp region, where shocked solar wind reaches the ionosphere, and to identify the ionospheric signature of various processes. Vertical incidence ionospheric sounding measurements will be employed to address various issues of contemporary scientific debate, such as the temporal persistence of the dayside cusp, the behavior of transient features in the dayside ionosphere, and the morphology of large scale density enhancements. An educational opportunity for the exchange of students between Utah State University and the University of Wales is feasible as the result of a program at the latter institution. Student participation is also possible through a recently established program of Arctic studies on Svalbard by a consortium of the Norwegian Universities.
