The excitation, propagation, and role of ULF waves in magnetospheric dynamics

探索奖助金研究计划的目标都与了解近地空间中称为磁层的区域的能量传输有关。具体地说，这项研究将解决空间物理学中最重要的两个悬而未决的问题：范艾伦辐射带中所谓的卫星“杀手”电子加速到光速的显著比例，以及磁层亚风暴中能量的爆炸性释放。自从近50年前詹姆斯·范·艾伦与探索者1号意外发现这种辐射以来，关于是什么将电子加速到接近光速的问题一直没有答案。作为宇宙中的一个基本粒子加速过程，这个问题还具有更广泛的天体物理重要性，以及技术重要性，因为许多卫星故障和异常都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星级生活(ILWs)计划的高度优先事项。这项发现赠款还将使在亚风暴中爆炸释放能量后的过程能够进行地面监测，该过程负责创造最壮观的北极光显示。我们的研究计划将利用Carisma阵列中的地面磁力计(提出者是PI)的数据，以前所未有的细节来描述能量传输。加拿大航天局(CSA)资助的加拿大地球空间监测方案中的地面光学、雷达和GPS仪器的数据支持，以及对最近发射的五颗卫星THEMIS任务(提出者是联合调查员)和其他卫星平台的数据的分析也将是关键。拟议的研究计划还与即将到来的卫星飞行任务的科学目标具有重要的协同作用，包括定于2008年发射的CSA e-POP(增强型极地外流探测器)小卫星飞行任务、欧空局群式飞行任务(2010年发射)、获得批准的NASA辐射带风暴探测器(提议者为Co-I)和拟议的CSA轨道(提议者为PI)任务，其目标将在2011-12年左右瞄准Van Allen带。

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 nearly 50 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. This Discovery Grant will also enable the ground-based monitoring of the processes following the explosive release of energy in a substorm, the process responsible for creating the most spectacular displays of the northern lights. Our research program will target the characterization of the energy transport in unprecedented detail using data from ground-based magnetometers in the CARISMA array (the proposer is the PI). Supporting data from ground-based optical, radar and GPS instruments in the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) funded Canadian Geospace Monitoring program, as well as analysis of data from the recently launched five satellite THEMIS mission (the proposer is a Co-Investigator) and other satellite platforms, will also be key. The proposed research program also has important synergy with science targets for forthcoming satellite missions including the CSA e-POP (enhanced Polar Outflow Probe) small satellite mission, due for launch in 2008, for the ESA SWARM mission (launch 2010), and for the approved NASA Radiation Belt Storm Probes (the proposer is a Co-I) and the proposed CSA ORBITALS (the proposer is the PI) missions which will target the Van Allen belts around 2011-12.