Whole Atmosphere Coupling : Investigations of Weather and Space Weather at Poker Flat Research Range, Chatanika, Alaska

Poker Flat Research Range (PFRR), Chatanika, Alaska (65°N, 147°W) is a rocket range that hosts a suite of ground-based instruments focused on studies of the Arctic atmosphere and geospace. The Poker Flat Rayleigh density-temperature lidar (PFRL), metal resonance density lidar, Incoherent Scatter Radar (PFISR), and scanning Doppler interferometer (PFSDI), ionosonde, and multi-channel all-sky imagers are well-established and operate in an ongoing basis. In winter 2017-2018 a new sodium resonance wind-temperature lidar (SRWTL) was installed at PFRR. A new meteor wind radar (PFMWR) and ionosonde are currently being acquired and installed at PFRR. This instrument suite has the capability to measure both neutral and plasma properties of the atmosphere from the stratosphere through the lower thermosphere and the ionosphere D- and E-regions ( 30-120 km). Specifically these instruments have the capacity to make measurements of wave activity at a variety of temporal scales and document gravity wave, planetary wave, and tidal activity in the middle atmosphere. From a meteorological perspective these waves propagate upward in the atmosphere and dominate the variability as well as contribute to the forcing of the general circulation. From a geospace perspective these upwardly propagating waves represent the primary terrestrial drivers of space weather. In this presentation we describe how the PFRR instrument suite can investigate coupling of the atmosphere and geospace and support new meteorological and space weather studies. We also highlight investigations that draw on the synergism of rocket-borne and ground-based instruments.