Observational tests of auroral theories from a new generation of space and ground-based instrumentation.

空间环境研究涉及跨越太阳外层、太阳风、行星磁层和行星大气层的耦合系统。 这个系统包括太阳风携带的大量能量流，当遇到地球的磁层时，被转换为高达万亿瓦的电能。 这种能量的很大一部分进入我们的高层大气，在那里它可以控制大气动力学和化学，并以极光的形式投射出巨大而动态的可见光。 此外，与这种能量转移相关的太阳风驱动的“空间天气”可能对轨道和地面上的技术系统产生破坏性影响，影响配电、通信、导航等。 这项研究的目的是利用加拿大开发并准备于2012年投入使用的一系列下一代卫星和地面仪器，描述极光形式的特性，以检验极光理论。 欧洲航天局（欧空局）的三颗卫星“Swarm”星座将首次联合收割机结合多点精确测量磁场和电场。 Swarm的电场仪器基于卡尔加里大学开发的一种新技术，并于2005年被欧空局选中用于飞行。 为加拿大增强型极地外流探测器小型卫星（也计划于2012年发射）建造的一个相关仪器将探测与极光电流有关的电子流。 这些飞行任务的科学价值将因在加拿大北极地区部署的大量地面照相机和雷达而大大提高，其中包括目前即将完成的强力Resolute Bay非相干散射雷达。 该提案要求为学生和博士后研究人员提供资金，以实现这一前所未有的最先进研究工具组合在科学和培训方面的最大影响。

Space Environment research addresses the coupled system that spans the outer layers of the sun, the solar wind, planetary magnetospheres, and planetary atmospheres. This system includes a massive flow of energy carried by the solar wind which, upon encountering the earth's magnetosphere, is converted to up to a trillion Watts of electrical energy. A substantial part of this energy finds its way into our upper atmosphere, where it can dominate atmospheric dynamics and chemistry, and upon which it projects a vast and dynamic visible display in the form of the aurora. Also, solar-wind-driven "space weather" associated with this energy transfer can have a devastating impact on technological systems in orbit as well as on the ground, affecting power distribution, communications, navigation, and more. The purpose of this study is to characterize properties of auroral forms to be used as a test of auroral theories, using an array of next-generation satellite and ground-based instrumentation developed in Canada and poised to come on line in 2012. The European Space Agency's (ESA) three-satellite "Swarm" constellation will combine, for the first time, multi-point, precision measurements of both magnetic and electric fields. Swarm's Electric Field Instruments are based on a new technique developed at the University of Calgary and selected for flight by ESA in 2005. A related instrument built for the Canadian enhanced Polar Outflow Probe small satellite (also planned for launch in 2012) will probe electron flows associated with electrical currents in the aurora. The scientific value of these missions will be augmented significantly by an extensive array of ground-based cameras and radars deployed throughout the Canadian Arctic, including the power Resolute Bay Incoherent Scatter Radar (RISR-Canada) presently nearing completion. This proposal requests funds to involve students and post-doctoral researchers in order to realize the maximum impact in science and training of this unprecedented combination of state-of-the-art research tools.