Small Spatio-Temporal Scale Ion-Neutral Coupling Using SuperDARN and the SCANDI FPI

The thermosphere on short spatial and temporal scales has been shown to be highly turbulent as more accurate and precise methods of remote and in-situ sensing have become available. Through the use of SuperDARN HF radars and the SCANDI Fabry-Perot interferometer, high spatio-temporal measurements of the neutral and charged components of the thermosphere are utilised to uniquely visualise this turbulence. Using individual line-of-sight velocity measurements to perform a time lagged cross-correlation, we determine the neutral wind reaction time to plasma changes with a horizontal resolution of approximately 100km at F-region altitudes. This allows the unique opportunity to examine ion-drag effects over mesoscale ranges, significantly influencing the amount of Joule heating that is produced over short spatial scales compared to previous global estimates. Ion-neutral coupling in this respect is therefore vital whenever considering other processes in the M-T-I system.