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CASS OVERVIEW Utah State University has actively supported research related to the upper atmosphere since l959 when the Electro Dynamics Laboratory was formed to do research and development in the field of electro-optics. This commitment was strengthened in l969 by the formation of the Center for Research in Aeronomy, now called the Center for Atmospheric and Space Sciences, to provide a strong interdisciplinary focus for applied and theoretical research related to basic processes present in the upper atmosphere. The Center for Atmospheric and Space Sciences (CASS), housed primarily in the Science Engineering Research building, has excellent office, lab, conference room, and computing facilities and is entitled to all university benefits and facilities as well. The capabilities and strengths of the USU atmospheric and space research program have been repeatedly demonstrated through the completion of many successful research programs. Since 1970, USU has launched more than 90 rocket-borne payloads, more than 8 high altitude balloon-borne payloads, participated in several space shuttle experiments, and in many aircraft-borne and ground-based atmospheric research programs. The instrumentation included in these vehicles has ranged from simple experiments aboard small meteorological-type vehicles to large, complex, recoverable payloads designed expressly for comprehensive studies of atmospheric and ionospheric parameters. In addition, various individuals have participated in ESA and NASA spacecraft programs, including ESRO I, ESRO IV, GEOS 1, GEOS 2, Atmosphere Explorer, Dynamics Explorer, UARS, DMSP, Skylab, and the Space Shuttle. Ground-based research includes the Bear Lake Observatory operated by USU and experiments at most of the incoherent-scatter radars. Also, studies of low latitude ionospheric electrodynamics using incoherent scatter radars, satellites, and Fabry-Perot measurements have been conducted. Extensive theoretical/modeling programs are currently active in CASS. These include theoretical studies of plasma waves in the equatorial and auroral ionosphere. Also, large-scale numerical models are being used to describe the physics relevant to magnetospheric convection, the global ionosphere, atmospheric photochemistry, the plasmasphere, and the polar wind. In addition, particle-in-cell (PIC) and Monte Carlo simulation codes are available to study plasma expansion processes, contact potentials, electron-beam plasma interactions, shocks, nonlinear wave-particle and wave-wave coupling, and several auroral plasma physics problems. Undergraduate and graduate students are currently involved in numerous research projects in CASS that provide opportunities to program computers, analyze data, and build instrumentation. These students receive valuable exposure to scientific programs as well as "hands-on" experience in research while they pursue degrees. |