We present for the first time the characteristics of upper atmospheric horizontal winds over the Korean Peninsula. Winds and their variability are derived using four-year measurements by the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute (KASI) meteor radar. A general characteristic of zonal and meridional winds is that they exhibit distinct diurnal and seasonal variations. Their changes indicate sometimes similar or sometimes different periodicities. Both winds are characterized by either semi-diurnal tides (12 hour period) and/or diurnal tides (24 hour period) from 80–100 km. In terms of annual change, the annual variation is the strongest component in both winds, but semi-annual and ter-annual variations are only detected in zonal winds.

We report, for the first time, the afternoon (i.e., from noon to sunset time) observations of the northern mid-latitude E-region field-aligned irregularities (FAIs) made by the very high frequency (VHF) coherent backscatter radar operated continuously since 29 December 2009 at Daejeon (36.18°N, 127.14°E, 26.7°N dip latitude) in South Korea. We present the statistical characteristics of the mid-latitude afternoon E-region FAIs based on the continuous radar observations. Echo signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the afternoon E-region FAIs is found to be as high as 35 dB, mostly occurring around 100–135 km altitudes. Most spectral widths of the afternoon echoes are close to zero, indicating that the irregularities during the afternoon time are not related to turbulent plasma motions. The occurrence of afternoon E-regional FAI is observed with significant seasonal variation, with a maximum in summer and a minimum in winter. Furthermore, to investigate the afternoon E-region FAIs- Sporadic E (Es) relationship, the FAIs have also been compared with Es parameters based on observations made from an ionosonde located at Icheon (37.14°N, 127.54°E, 27.7°N dip latitude), which is 100 km north of Daejeon. The virtual height of Es (h’Es) is mainly in the height range of 105 km to 110 km, which is 5 km to 10 km greater than the bottom of the FAI. There is no relationship between the FAI SNR and the highest frequencies (ftEs) (or blanket frequencies (fbEs)). SNR of FAIs, however, is found to be related well with (ftEs–fbEs).

In solstices during the solar minimum, the hemispheric difference of the equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA) intensity (hereafter hemispheric asymmetry) is understood as being opposite in the morning and afternoon. This phenomenon is explained by the temporal variation of the combined effects of the fountain process and interhemispheric wind. However, the mechanism applied to the observations during the solar minimum has not yet been validated with observations made during other periods of the solar cycle. We investigate the variability of the hemispheric asymmetry with local time (LT), altitude, season, and solar cycle using the electron density taken by the CHAllenging Minisatellite Payload satellite and the global total electron content (TEC) maps acquired during 2001–2008. The electron density profiles provided by the Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere, and Climate satellites during 2007–2008 are also used to investigate the variation of the hemispheric asymmetry with altitude during the solar minimum. During the solar minimum, the location of a stronger EIA moves from the winter hemisphere to the summer hemisphere around 1200–1400 LT. The reversal of the hemispheric asymmetry is more clearly visible in the F-peak density than in TEC or in topside plasma density. During the solar maximum, the EIA in the winter hemisphere is stronger than that in the summer hemisphere in both the morning and afternoon. When the location of a stronger EIA in the afternoon is viewed as a function of the year, the transition from the winter hemisphere to the summer hemisphere occurs near 2004 (yearly average F10.7 index = 106). We discuss the mechanisms that cause the variation of the hemispheric asymmetry with LT and solar cycle.

We have investigated the variations of sporadic E (Es) layer using the measurements of digisondes at Icheon (37.14°N, 127.54°E, IC) and Jeju (33.4°N, 126.30°E, JJ) in 2011–2018. The Es occurrence rate and its critical frequency (foEs) have peak values in summer at both IC and JJ in consistent with their known seasonal variations at mid-latitudes. The virtual height of the Es layer (h’Es) during equinox months is greater than that in other months. It may be related to the similar variation of meteor peak heights. The h’Es shows the semidiurnal variations with two peaks at early in the morning and late in the afternoon during equinoxes and summer. However, the semi-diurnal variation is not obvious in winter. The semi-diurnal variation is generally thought to be caused by the semi-diurnal tidal variation in the neutral wind shear, whose measurements, however, are rare and not available in the region of interest. To investigate the formation mechanism of Es, we have derived the vertical ion drift velocity using the Horizontal Wind Model (HWM) 14, International Geomagnetic Reference Field, and Naval Research Laboratory Mass Spectrometer and Incoherent Scatter Radar-00 models. Our results show that h’Es preferentially occur at the altitudes where the direction of the vertical ion velocity changes. This result indicates the significant role of ion convergence in the creation of Es.

The present paper describes the design of a Solid State Telescope (SST) on board the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute satellite-1 (KASISat-1) consisting of four [TBD] nanosatellites. The SST will measure these radiation belt electrons from a low-Earth polar orbit satellite to study mechanisms related to the spatial resolution of electron precipitation, such as electron microbursts, and those related to the measurement of energy dispersion with a high temporal resolution in the sub-auroral regions. We performed a simulation to determine the sensor design of the SST using GEometry ANd Tracking 4 (GEANT4) simulations and the Bethe formula. The simulation was performed in the range of 100 ~ 400 keV considering that the electron, which is to be detected in the space environment. The SST is based on a silicon barrier detector and consists of two telescopes mounted on a satellite to observe the electrons moving along the geomagnetic field (pitch angle 0°) and the quasi-trapped electrons (pitch angle 90°) during observations. We determined the telescope design of the SST in view of previous measurements and the geometrical factor in the cylindrical geometry of Sullivan (1971). With a high spectral resolution of 16 channels over the 100 keV ~ 400 keV energy range, together with the pitch angle information, the designed SST will answer questions regarding the occurrence of microbursts and the interaction with energetic particles. The KASISat-1 is expected to be launched in the latter half of 2020.

Jang Bogo Station (JBS), the second Korean Antarctic research station, was established in Terra Nova Bay, Antarctica (74.62°S 164.22°E) in February 2014 in order to expand the Korea Polar Research Institute (KOPRI) research capabilities. One of the main research areas at JBS is space environmental research. The goal of the research is to better understand the general characteristics of the polar region ionosphere and thermosphere and their responses to solar wind and the magnetosphere. Ground-based observations at JBS for upper atmospheric wind and temperature measurements using the Fabry-Perot Interferometer (FPI) began in March 2014. Ionospheric radar (VIPIR) measurements have been collected since 2015 to monitor the state of the polar ionosphere for electron density height profiles, horizontal density gradients, and ion drifts. To investigate the magnetosphere and geomagnetic field variations, a search-coil magnetometer and vector magnetometer were installed in 2017 and 2018, respectively. Since JBS is positioned in an ideal location for auroral observations, we installed an auroral all-sky imager with a color sensor in January 2018 to study substorms as well as auroras. In addition to these observations, we are also operating a proton auroral imager, airglow imager, global positioning system total electron content (GPS TEC)/scintillation monitor, and neutron monitor in collaboration with other institutes. In this article, we briefly introduce the observational activities performed at JBS and the preliminary results of these observations.

Non-specular, vertically upward transit, fast-moving radar echoes are observed in the summer polar upper mesosphere near 90 km using 52 MHz VHF radar at Esrange, Sweden. By resolving maximum echo power movement, the unusual meteor trails propagate vertically upward with taking horizontal displacements at an initial speed of 10 km/s exponentially decreasing with increasing height from 85-89 km, lasting for 3.5 sec. Another upward transit is observed as following a downward transit echo target in about ~1 sec, lasting over 5 sec. The upward motion cannot be explained with the dynamics of penetrating meteors or by atmospheric dynamics. The observation proposes that secondary produced plasma jets occurring from meteor trail are possibly responsible for upward fast moving echoes. The long-lasting (3-5 sec), ascending meteor trails at speeds of a few 104 m/s are distinctive from any previous occurrences of meteors or upper atmospheric electrical discharges in the aspect of long-lasting upward/downward motions. This result possibly suggests a new type of meteor-trail leader discharge occurring in the summer polar upper mesosphere and lower thermosphere.

The summer polar lower thermosphere (90–100 km) has an interesting connection to meteors, adjacent to the mesopause region attaining the lowest temperature in summer. Meteors supply condensation nuclei for charged ice particles causing polar mesospheric summer echoes (PMSE). We report the observation of meteor trail with nearly horizontal transit at high speed (20–50 km/s), and at last with re-enhanced echo power followed by diffusive echoes. Changes in phase difference between radar receivers aligned in meridional and zonal directions are used to determine variations in horizontal displacements and speeds with respect to time by taking advantage of radar interferometric analysis. The actual transit of echo target is observed along the straight pathway vertically and horizontally extended as much as a distance of at least 24 km and at most 29 km. The meteor trail initially has a signature similar to ‘head echoes’, with travel speeds from 20 – 50 km/s. It subsequently transforms into a different type of echo target including specular echo and then finally the power reenhanced. The reenhancement of echo power is followed by fume-like diffusive echoes, indicating sudden release of plasma as like explosive process probably involved. We discuss a possible role of meteor-triggered secondary plasma trail, such as fireball embedded with electrical discharge that continuously varies the power and transit speed.

In South Korea, there are about 80 Global Positioning System (GPS) monitoring stations providing total electron content (TEC) every 10 min, which can be accessed through Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute (KASI) for scientific use. We applied the computerized ionospheric tomography (CIT) algorithm to the TEC dataset from this GPS network for monitoring the regional ionosphere over South Korea. The algorithm utilizes multiplicative algebraic reconstruction technique (MART) with an initial condition of the latest International Reference Ionosphere-2016 model (IRI-2016). In order to reduce the number of unknown variables, the vertical profiles of electron density are expressed with a linear combination of empirical orthonormal functions (EOFs) that were derived from the IRI empirical profiles. Although the number of receiver sites is much smaller than that of Japan, the CIT algorithm yielded reasonable structure of the ionosphere over South Korea. We verified the CIT results with NmF2 from ionosondes in Icheon and Jeju and also with GPS TEC at the center of South Korea. In addition, the total time required for CIT calculation was only about 5 min, enabling the exploration of the vertical ionospheric structure in near real time.