Incorporating Statistical Analysis of the Extensive SAMPEX Dataset to Improve Space Weather Modelling

STFC：Samuel D.Walton：2062533近地空间有两个科学家尚未理解的重大惊喜，其中之一就是范艾伦辐射带。作为一个天体物理物体，地球磁层似乎是一个相当小和微不足道的物体，沐浴在太阳发出的风中。然而，这个空间包含了一个充满高能粒子和电磁波的奇异动物园，这对太空探索构成了重大危险。在太阳风中，地球的磁场被改变，以至于它的条形磁场变成一个子弹形的空腔，保护地球免受来自太阳的有害输出的影响。只有在特定的情况下，太阳风才能穿透这个屏障，而正是在这些情况下，地球的空间环境才变得最有趣和最具活力。大约50年前，詹姆斯·范·艾伦偶然发现了地球的辐射带。这些带是被地球磁场捕获的高能粒子辐射的甜甜圈形状的区域。这些电子被激发到光速的很大一部分，但到目前为止，科学家们还不能对它们如何被加速到如此高的能量提供明确的解释。自从发现辐射带以来，科学家们将这些电子的加速和由此产生的损失与太阳爆炸输出(如日冕物质抛射)对近地空间造成的大型地磁风暴的影响联系起来。然而，还没有提出确凿的证据来充分解释这种联系。了解这些电子是如何加速到非常高的能量(然后消失)的，对于利用近地空间获取人类和技术收益至关重要。大多数通信卫星和军用卫星必须在这种恶劣的辐射环境中运行。事实上，几颗卫星的故障都是由于地磁风暴期间的部件故障造成的。因此，为了保护数十亿英镑的航天产业，监测这种“太空天气”是至关重要的。这次安置将由塞缪尔·沃尔顿在伊恩·曼教授的指导下进行，将重点放在NASA长期航天器任务中范艾伦辐射带的高能电子动力学上，再加上NASA的另一次任务，能够利用阿尔伯塔大学开发的新技术，从相对安全的近地轨道了解辐射带的动力学。因此，拟议的项目是英国和加拿大分别开发的方法和想法的自然结果，以促进我们对范艾伦辐射带动力学的理解，改进现有模型，并最终提高我们预测行为的能力。

STFC: Samuel D. Walton: 2062533Near-Earth space holds two major surprises that scientists are yet to understand, one of which is the Van Allen Radiation Belts. As an astrophysical object, the Earth's magnetosphere would seem to be a rather small and insignificant item bathed by the wind that emanates from the Sun. However, this space contains an exotic zoo of high energy particles and electromagnetic waves that pose a significant hazard to space exploration. In the solar wind, the Earth's magnetic field is altered such that its bar magnet field becomes a bullet-shaped cavity that shields the Earth from the harmful output from the Sun. Only in specific circumstances can the solar wind penetrate this shield, and it is under these circumstances that the Earth's space environment becomes the most interesting and dynamic. The Earth's Radiation Belts were discovered by James Van Allen some 50 years ago quite by chance. These belts are doughnut-shaped regions of high-energy particle radiation trapped by Earth's magnetic field. These electrons are energised to significant fractions of the speed of light but as yet, scientists can offer no definitive explanation for how they are accelerated to such high energies. Since the discovery of the radiation belts, scientists have linked the acceleration and resultant loss of these electrons to the impact of large geomagnetic storms caused by explosive output from the Sun (such as Coronal Mass Ejections) on near-Earth space. However, no conclusive evidence has been put forward which can adequately explain this link. Understanding how these electrons are accelerated to very high energies (and then lost) is of critical importance to the exploitation of near-Earth space for human and technological gain. Most communication and military satellites must orbit through this harsh radiation environment. In fact, several satellite failures have been attributed to component failure during geomagnetic storms. It is essential, therefore, to monitor this "space weather" in order to protect the multi-billion pound space industry.This placement will be taken by Samuel Walton under the guidance of Professor Ian Mann, and will focus on the energetic electron dynamics in the Van Allen Radiation Belts from a long-lasting NASA spacecraft mission and, coupled with another NASA mission, be able to understand the dynamics of the radiation belts from the relative safety of low-earth orbit using novel techniques developed at the University of Alberta. The proposed project is therefore the natural culmination of methods and ideas developed separately in the UK and Canada, to advance our understanding of Van Allen radiation belt dynamics, improving current models and ultimately improving our ability to predict the behaviour.