Subject: DE storm analysis

From: "Robert R. Meier" <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 18 Oct 1996 17:10:04 -0400

Dear Ray,

Well, after all this time, we are finally returning to the analysis of the
July 1982 storm which was recorded in the DE 1 oxygen images (Days 191 -
197). This resurgence of effort has been spurred on by the arrival of Doug
Drob, who recently finished his PhD under Tim Killeen. In the two weeks that
he has been here, he has made much progress in coming up the learning curve.

Our plan is to use several methods of rectifying the images in order to take
out geometric effects, and to remove the quiet time airglow, leaving behind
the differences which reflect depletions (or enhancements in some regions)
of the atomic oxygen. These methods include a new one using theoretical
models of the airglow, and the empirical model approach pioneered by John
Craven & students (as well as a method which I showed to you earlier).

Once we have the residual oxygen behavior isolated, we want to compare the
results with both your model output and with DE 2 data, which Doug has
already retrieved.

Next we need to get together with you to understand the dynamics, heating
and compositional changes implied by the results.

Finally, we would like to use your model output to predict what would be
observable if we had an ideal experiment which isolated the individual O and
N2 emission features, using optically thin lines. This will be an indicator
of how well we will be able to do space weather imaging with future
experiments (or even with the Polar experiment).

Now for the bad news. The TIGCM fields which Ben Foster sent to us no longer
exist on the computer where they were stored. Worse, we cannot find the
exobyte tapes which contained the original data. Doug Drob contacted Ben
today & Ben indicated that the old runs done in 1992 probably did not exist
at HAO either. He also suggested that it might be worth while rerunning the
model due to upgrades which have been made in the intervening years. His
recommendation was to contact you for guidance.

I am a bit hesitant to ask you to rerun the model, since it has taken us so
long to get going again on the project. On the other hand, with Doug Drob
working full time on the project, I believe that we can finish it up in
short order. 

I will be away from 20 Oct - 9 Nov, returning to the office on 12 Nov. But
Doug will be happy to provide you with any input needed to make the runs,
and to assist in any other way ([email-masked]).

Thanks for your consideration, and sorry it has taken so long.

With best regards,

Bob