Understanding the fundamental space plasma physics which causes space weather

了解导致空间天气的基本空间等离子体物理学

• 批准号: 261930-2013
• 负责人: Mann, Ian
• 金额: $ 3.79万
• 依托单位: University of Alberta
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2017
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2017-01-01 至 2018-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=633486
• 关键词: Understanding; fundamental; space; plasma; physics

The objectives for this Discovery Grant research program are all related to understanding energy transport in a region of near-Earth space called the magnetosphere. Specifically, the research will address two of the most important outstanding questions in space physics: the acceleration of so-called satellite "killer" electrons in the Van Allen radiation belts to significant fractions of the speed of light, and the explosive release of energy in the magnetospheric substorm. The question of what accelerates electrons to speeds close to the speed of light remains unanswered since the accidental discovery of this radiation by James Van Allen with Explorer 1 fifty years ago. This question also has broader astrophysical importance as a fundamental particle acceleration process in the universe, as well as technological importance since a number of satellite failures and anomalies are linked to discharging triggered by this radiation. Indeed, this is a high priority for the International Living With A Star (ILWS) program in which Canada is an active participant as well as the focus for the NASA Radiation Belt Storm Probes mission launched in August 2012 (proposer is a Co-I). This Discovery Grant will also enable the ground-based monitoring of the processes following the explosive release of energy in a substorm. The substorm is responsible for creating the most spectacular displays of the northern lights and this research will be completed in partnership with the NASA THEMIS mission (proposer is a Co-I). We will target the characterization of energy transport in unprecedented detail using coordinated studies combining data from satellites and ground-based magnetometers in the CARISMA array (the proposer is the PI), as well as supporting data from ground-based optical, radar and GPS instruments in the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) funded Canadian Geospace Monitoring program. The proposed research program also has important synergy with science targets for forthcoming Canadian roles in other satellite missions including the CSA-lead enhanced Polar Outflow Probe (e-POP) small satellite mission and the 3 satellite European Space Agency SWARM constellation mission (both to be launched in 2013).

这项发现补助金研究计划的目标都与理解近地空间中称为磁层的区域的能量传输有关。具体而言，这项研究将解决空间物理学中两个最重要的悬而未决的问题：货车艾伦辐射带中所谓的卫星“杀手”电子加速到光速的很大一部分，以及磁层亚暴中能量的爆炸性释放。自从50年前詹姆斯·货车·艾伦和探险者1号偶然发现了这种辐射以来，是什么使电子加速到接近光速的速度这个问题一直没有答案。这个问题作为宇宙中基本的粒子加速过程，也具有更广泛的天体物理学意义，以及技术意义，因为一些卫星故障和异常现象与这种辐射引发的放电有关。事实上，这是加拿大积极参与的国际与星星共存方案的一个高度优先事项，也是2012年8月启动的美国航天局辐射带风暴探测器使命的重点（提议者是一名共同倡议者）。这一发现赠款还将使地面监测亚暴爆炸性释放能量后的过程成为可能。亚暴负责创造最壮观的北方光的显示，这项研究将与美国宇航局的THEMIS使命（提议者是一个Co-I）合作完成。我们将利用协调研究，结合来自CARISMA阵列中卫星和地面磁力计的数据（提议者是PI），以及来自地面光学，雷达和GPS仪器的支持数据，以前所未有的细节描述能量传输的特征加拿大航天局（CSA）资助的加拿大地球空间监测计划。拟议的研究方案还与加拿大即将在其他卫星飞行任务中发挥作用的科学目标具有重要的协同作用，这些任务包括加拿大航天局牵头的增强型极地外流探测器小型卫星使命和欧洲空间局的3颗卫星SWARM星座使命（均将于2013年发射）。