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

这个发现基金研究项目的目标都与了解近地空间中一个叫做磁层的区域的能量传输有关。具体来说，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：范艾伦辐射带中所谓的卫星“杀手”电子加速到光速的显著部分，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·范艾伦用探险家1号偶然发现这种辐射以来，是什么使电子加速到接近光速的问题一直没有得到解答。这个问题也具有更广泛的天体物理学重要性，因为它是宇宙中基本的粒子加速过程，同时也具有技术重要性，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明星生活计划（ILWS）的高度优先事项。这项发现基金还将使地面监测亚风暴爆炸释放能量后的过程成为可能，这一过程负责创造最壮观的北极光。我们的研究计划将利用CARISMA阵列（提议者是PI）地面磁力计的数据，以前所未有的细节描述能量传输的特征。来自加拿大航天局（CSA）资助的加拿大地球空间监测计划的地面光学、雷达和GPS仪器的支持数据，以及最近发射的五颗卫星THEMIS任务（提案人是联合研究者）和其他卫星平台的数据分析，也将是关键。拟议的研究计划还与即将到来的卫星任务的科学目标有重要的协同作用，包括定于2008年发射的CSA e-POP（增强型极地外流探测器）小卫星任务，欧空局SWARM任务（2010年发射），以及批准的NASA辐射带风暴探测器（提议者是Co-I）和拟议的CSA ORBITALS（提议者是PI）任务，这些任务将在2011-12年左右瞄准范艾伦带。

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.