Using the Occurrence and Statistics of NEIALs Observed with PFISR as a Means to Remote Sense Magnetosphere-Ionosphere Coupling Processes

Common-volume observations of Poker Flat Incoherent Scatter Radar (PFISR) data and high-resolution auroral imaging will be presented. The focus is on the Naturally Enhanced Ion Acoustic Lines (NEIALs) that are observed in the radar data. The current solar maximum, covering the previous several years has produced a significant increase in the auroral activity that has been observed over Poker Flat, AK. As a result of this increased auroral activity, there has been a large increase in the number of NEIALs observed in the radar data. Occurrence statistics of NEIALs, and their characteristics, including the ratio of up-shifted to down-shifted power will be presented along with precipitating electron energy estimates derived from simultaneous multi-spectral auroral imaging data. These analyses will be evaluated as a means to elucidate the magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling processes responsible for the NEIALs.