Special issue  

In August 2022, the 15th International Workshop on Layered Phenomena in the Mesopause Region (LPMR) was held jointly with the 20th International EISCAT symposium near the town of Eskilstuna in central Sweden. Both meetings are traditionally held biannually. The LPMR workshop aims to advance our understanding of the mesopause region where atmospheric waves break and complex ice molecules and meteoric dust form layers that impact the chemistry and dynamics of the middle atmosphere. The EISCAT radars have been providing measurements of the ionosphere for over 3 decades, contributing to important studies of the aurora, space weather, and the wider geospace environment. A central aim of this combined meeting was to bring the EISCAT and LPMR communities together to explore joint scientific interests and observational and model techniques. The meeting was a great success, with the two communities demonstrating the breadth of exciting science that is currently being carried out.

We are pleased to announce a special issue from this shared conference. Topics will cover areas of shared interest such as mesospheric dynamics and chemistry, noctilucent clouds, and the study of layers formed by ice and dust around the mesopause. The remit of the special issue also covers all science enabled by the EISCAT radars, such as, but not restricted to, auroral physics, magnetosphere–ionosphere–thermosphere coupling, space weather impacts, polar cap dynamics, and active ionospheric experiments.

It is intended that this special issue would provide a snapshot of the state of the art in EISCAT and LPMR research, and as such the call is open to all colleagues working in these areas, even if they cannot attend the joint meeting. As long as your work is related to EISCAT and/or layered phenomena in the mesosphere, you are welcome to submit an article.