Effects of sudden stratospheric warmings in the ionosphere/thermosphere system

This dissertation addresses important open questions about the influence of large meteorological disturbances called sudden stratospheric warmings (SSW) on the ionosphere and thermosphere. It examines long-distance influence of SSW from Antarctic stratosphere to the low-latitude ionosphere, and investigates inter-hemispheric coupling from the polar stratosphere to the ionosphere at middle and high latitudes of the opposite hemisphere. These studies quantify the effects of SSWs in the ionosphere and extend our understanding of physical mechanisms by which atmospheric layers are coupled.