Extended Life Balloon Borne Observations (ELBBO)

了解大气、电离层和磁层电场与电流系统之间的耦合是日地物理学的基本目标之一。许多雷达技术被用于研究高空热层电场及其变化。新的研究表明，低空对流层和平流层的电场和电流与热层的变化之间存在联系。这些低空数据的技术发展和获取一直存在很大争议。这个NSF和NASA的合作项目建立在过去的操作项目和数据分析的基础上，设计了一个多气球长时间（3个月）的飞行项目，以测量许多所需的参数。ELBBO（延长寿命气球观测）项目计划总共发射10个气球。两架原型飞机来自巴西，另外8架来自巴西、新西兰或南极，具体取决于首次飞行的结果。基本目标是测量矢量电场、电导率、电流密度、磁场、极低频和极低频电磁波、夜光变化和大气x射线。这些数据将用于测试和改进现有的全球电路模型。

Understanding the coupling between atmospheric, ionospheric and magnetospheric electric fields and current systems is one of the basic goals of solar-terrestrial physics. Many radar techniques are used to study the high altitude thermosphere electric fields and their variations. New studies have shown the linkage between low altitude tropospheric and stratospheric electric fields and currents, with variations in the thermosphere. Development of techniques and acquisition of these low altitude data have been very controversial. This cooperative NSF and NASA project builds upon past operational programs and data analyses in the design of a multi-balloon long duration ( 3 months ) flight program to measure many of the needed parameters. The ELBBO ( Extended Life Balloon Borne Observations ) program plans to launch a total of ten balloons. Two prototype flights from Brazil and 8 others from either Brazil, New Zealand or the Antarctic depending somewhat on the outcome of the initial flights. The basic objectives are to measure the vector electric field, conductivity, current density, magnetic field,VLF and ULF electric and magnetic waves, nightglow variations and atmospheric x-rays. These data will then be used to test and improve existing models of the global electric circuit.