為研究台灣地區電離層底層的電漿密度隨高度的變化與電漿不規則體（Plasma Irregularities）之結構與產生機制，在本計畫中將研製電離層離子探測器（Ion Prob），安裝在我國的探空火箭上，以進行太空科學的相關實驗與研究。由於我國地處赤道異常（Equatorial Ionization Anomaly）之區域，因此在夜晚時，常會有電漿不規則體之產生，如電離層散塊E層（Sporadic E）或是F層擴散（Spread F）等。此不規則體之出現，會造成通過的電磁波產生振幅(Amplitude)與相位的閃爍（Scintillation）現象，導致人造衛星與地面通信品質的降低，嚴重時甚至有斷訊之可能。透過本計畫的執行，不但提供一絕佳之機會，能現場測量(In-situ Measurement)台灣地區上空電離層電漿不規則體之尺度，而有助於我國利用電離層通訊之設施與仰賴人造衛星進行太空通訊的機構，能明瞭通訊干擾之程度，同時此次實驗將會是我國首次利用探空火箭，在台灣地區進行現場量測電離層底層電漿密度結構實驗，其結果對於了解台灣上空電離層電漿不規則體的發生機制以及背景地離層的特性，將提供極有價值的珍貴資料。因此，我們將集合國內研究電離層相關之人員，使用各式的地面雷達，對電離層電漿不規則體進行共同觀測，以探討不規則體可能發生之過程。另外為提升我國科學酬載的自製能力，根據中華衛星一號上極為成功的日地物理酬載設計經驗，並透過日本大阪市立大學電機系Minami教授之合作，我們將自行設計與製造一套適用於裝置在我國探空火箭上的離子探測器，以進行有關之電離層觀測與研究。以此系統為基礎，未來擬繼續發展一系列原理相似但可量測各項電漿參數之電離層粒子探測器，如阻滯電位分析儀（Retarding Potential Analyzer），離子流向計（Ion Drift Meter），與離子質譜儀（Ion Mass Spectrometer）等，以逐漸提升我國探空火箭科學酬載之自行研製能力。 In this project, an ion probe designed to be mounted on sounding rocket for the measurement of plasma density profile of the ionosphere over the Taiwan area will be developed and manufactured by the scientific team of the National Central University. Because Taiwan is located at the crest zone of equatorial anomaly region, which is characterized by intense plasma density associated with electric field in the geomagnetic equator, the in-situ measurement of the plasma density using ion probe provides an excellent opportunity to investigate the behavior of the equatorial anomaly. In addition, it is well known that the plasma irregularities in ionospheric E and F regions are occurred very frequently over Taiwan area, which are generated through respective plasma instability processes. These plasma irregularities are responsible for the causes of the amplitude and phase scintillations of the satellite signals that will impair the communication between satellite and earth. It is a precious opportunity for us to understand the macro and micro structures of the plasma irregularities through the in-situ measurements of the ion probe on board the sounding rocket. In order to carry out these experiments, a science team which consists of a number of faculties with expertise associated with the payload of the sounding rocket and ground-based radar experiment are organized in the National Central University. Based on the successful design of the Ionospheric Plasma and Electrodynamics Instrument onboard the ROCSAT-1 and the helps from Professor Minami at Department of Electrical Engineering of Osaka City University, we will design and manufacture the ion probe in National Central University for this project. We anticipate that this project will establish a solid foundation for the developments of a series of scientific payloads for the succeeding experiments of the sounding rockets, including retarding potential analyzer, ion drift meter, and ion mass spectrometer, and so on. 研究期間：9309 ~ 9412
