The post-doc supported in this grant is testing the thermosphere/ionosphere/electro-dynamic general circulation model's sensitivity to upper boundary conditions. Using the field-aligned interhemispheric plasma model, he is specifying electron temperature, ion temperature, and oxygen ion at the model's upper boundary as a function of season and solar activity. Both of these models are compared with incoherent scatter radar data from Arecibo and Millstone Hill Observatories to evaluate the capabilities at low and middle latitudes. The post-doc will then make any further refinements. This delineation of the model sensitivity to external forces and boundary conditions is needed for future studies of the causes of variability in the atmosphere.
