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<p class="MsoNormal">I am excited to share that the FY26 notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) for the MURI is out on grants.gov. Here is a direct link:
<a href="https://grants.gov/search-results-detail/358533">https://grants.gov/search-results-detail/358533</a>.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The topic of particular interest to the Aeronomy community is:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Topic 1: (AFOSR) Characterization and Modeling of the Mesosphere and Lower Thermosphere<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Background</b><i>: </i>The mesosphere and lower thermosphere, at about 50- 120 km altitude, is often called the “ignorosphere” due to being too high for investigations using balloons and too low for probing with satellites. The addition
of significant and increasing quantities of human-made materials to the region, primarily via ablation of spacecraft during reentry and emissions from spacecraft fuel systems due to the increase in launches and mega-constellations to LEO, is requiring scientists
to quantify how increased human activity is modifying the upper atmosphere. Reliable and accurate models of the upper atmosphere will be increasingly essential to manage potential VLEO assets, to predict or adapt to abrupt changes to atmospheric plasma concentrations
and must account for these new materials present in the atmosphere. Yet, currently, no effective model of thermospheric winds exists, and the reactivity of new materials now being added in the upper atmosphere is unknown. Reactions of such metals are complicated
by the multiplicity of electron spin states they possess whose effects on reactivity are not well understood or described by existing theoretical and computational chemical methods. These spin-effects can create large barriers to some metal-atom reaction pathways
creating the need for experimental and theoretical studies to determine what forces control this reactivity, hence determining the dominant reservoir species and the chemical mechanisms and networks that control them. There is a gap in information about the
chemical composition, size distribution, movement, and abundance of novel elements introduced to the thermosphere in this altitude range which cannot be addressed in a scalable way with existing techniques. While several methods have been developed to monitor
upper atmospheric winds, temperatures, and component densities from the ground, including meteor radars, rockets, and various lidar methodologies, new remote sensing methods and tools are needed to make this probing more accessible to many US scientists, and
provide the large streams of data needed for improved assimilative modeling at a larger range of altitudes. Current atmospheric models do not include the possible chemistry and radiative transfer effects of black carbon particles or introduced metals, particularly
aluminum, to the mesosphere or stratosphere. Predicted impacts from the first estimates of these species to the upper atmosphere are both not well understood and expected to be large. Developing a fundamental understanding of the forces that control the sources
of materials in this region, and their behavior, is essential to properly model the behavior in this region based on solid foundational information. A wide-ranging, collaborative, multidisciplinary effort is needed to expand and improve ground- or satellite-based
monitoring of chemical concentrations and dynamics in the upper atmosphere, to determine relevant chemistries via laboratory studies, to incorporate such data into existing or improved atmospheric models, to use those models to better specify current and future
atmospheric conditions (e.g. density, temperature, chemical composition), and to understand the impacts of those conditions on Earth systems and LEO and VLEO space resiliency.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Objective</b>: The objective of this program is to develop the fundamental and comprehensive understanding needed to accurately characterize, model, and predict the behavior of species in the upper atmosphere, particularly the impact
on atmospheric chemistry and dynamics. A multidisciplinary effort is needed that includes remote sensing, atmospheric modeling, chemical kinetics, mechanisms, and dynamics, to collect and assimilate the needed understanding and data, and collaboratively develop
predictive models.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Research Concentration Areas</b>: Suggested research areas include but are not limited to 1) Development of novel tools and methods that would enable accessible and scalable ground-based sensing methods for accurately determining the
concentrations of major and less prominent gas-phase species and particulates at different altitudes in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere. 2) Understanding the rates and mechanisms of reactions of species (of natural and human-made origin) in the mesosphere
and lower thermosphere that affect the dynamics, lifetimes, and radiative transfer properties. 3) Development of robust and predictive models of the mesosphere and lower thermosphere that incorporates new knowledge of chemical speciation in the atmosphere
and describes the behavior, dynamics, and interaction with materials that might affect space enterprise resiliency.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Anticipated Resources</b>: It is anticipated that awards under this topic will be no more than an average of $1.5M per year for 5 years, supporting no more than 8 funded faculty researchers. Exceptions warranted by specific proposal
approaches should be discussed with the topic chief during the white paper phase of the solicitation.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Research Topic Chiefs</b>: Dr. Julie Moses, AFOSR, 703-696-9586, julie.moses@us.af.mil; Dr. Michael R. Berman, AFOSR, 703-696-7781, michael.berman@us.af.mil; Dr. Michael Yakes, AFOSR, 703-835-6716, michael.yakes@us.af.mil; Dr. Andrew
Sinclair, AFOSR, 703-696-1141, <a href="mailto:andrew.sinclair.2@us.af.mil">andrew.sinclair.2@us.af.mil</a>.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Julie Moses, PhD</span><span style="mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Program Officer, Space Physics<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Air Force Office of Scientific Research<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">875 N Randolph St Suite 3000<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Arlington, VA 22203<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">(703)696-9586 (office)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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