Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

International Network for Auroral Optical Studies of the Polar Ionosphere  (Auroral Optical Network)

Outline
We propose to form an international network for research groups carrying out optical measurements of the aurora during IPY. The network will provide a forum for planning coordinated measurement campaigns and for distributing information. An important task is to achieve intercalibration between different sets of instruments located in different parts of the world. In particular, this is a problem for imaging instruments. A meeting point for the network will be the Optical meetings which are organized annually, and in addition the network will have a newsletter and a home page. The optical aurora is the only visible manifestation of the physical processes occurring in the Earth´s magnetosphere as it responds to the solar wind, the interplanetary magnetic field, and their often dramatic changes. Studies of the optical aurora is an efficient way to learn about both temporal and spatial variations of these processes and is also a powerful tool for monitoring the Sun-Earth interaction. The emissions contain information both about the incident primary particles and about physical and chemical processes occurring locally as the light is produced. The usefulness of ground-based optical measurements is enhanced by the possibility of combining them with information from satellites. Optical measurements are carried out throughout the polar regions by several institutions using instruments such as all-sky cameras, spectroscopic imagers, and meridian-scanning photometers. Projects include, for example, NORSTAR in Canada, THEMIS GBO array in Canada and Alaska, MIRACLE in Finland and Sweden, ALIS in Sweden, Norwegian and British instruments in northern Norway, Norwegian, Russian, Japanese and British instruments on Svalbard, and the Lovozero observatory in northern Russia. Optical measurements of the aurora are also carried out from satellites. The project is related to other expressions of interest, for example MULTIPLEX, coordinated by Ian McCrea and the Canadian ground-based measurement initiative coordinated by George Sofko and should be seen as a complement to these.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
Aurora and other optical phenomena in the polar regions will be studied (Theme 1) - Data will be collected that are a part of a long-term monitoring of the polar aurora. (Theme 2) - Optical aurora gives information about the processes taking place in the whole near-Earth magnetosphere and about Sun-Earth interaction (Themes 3 and 4) - The observing instruments are located in polar regions (Theme 5)

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
The main purpose of the project is international collaboration. See list of participants and additional participants listed under 3.6. Note that there is no ranking between these lists.

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
The network in itself does not carry out field work. That is done by the different participants in the network. Many of the instruments already exist and more will be added. Most instruments are expected to remain in place after IPY.

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: TBC            
Antarctic: n/a

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
The network will be coordinated from the Swedish Institute of Space Physics. The participants in the network will use existing and new field stations/observatories.

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
The project will support the efforts to maintain and improve the instrumentation for studies of the aurora and many of these instruments will be possible to operate for severeal years after IPY, provided that funding is obtained.

How is it envisaged that the required logistic support will be secured?

Not applicable for the network

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
Most of the projects that will participate in the network have received funding from national funding agencies. No application has been submitted for the network.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND STRUCTURE

Is the project a short-term expansion (over the IPY 2007-2008 timeframe) of an existing plan, programme or initiative or is it a new autonomous proposal?
New

The network is a new activitiy. The projects participating in the network are existing.

How will the project be organised and managed?
The network will be co-ordinated at the Swedish Institute of Space Physics by maintaining a newsletter and a home page. Meetings of the network will take place in connection with the European Optical Meetings, that will take place in Canada in 2005 and in Kiruna, Sweden in 2006. Plans for intercalibration will be discussed during 2005. This will most likely need to an application for funding for travel and equipment (calibration source).

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
There is great interest from the public in optical aurora and most of the participating projects have outreach sections in their home pages. The Auroral Optical Network home page will provide links to those pages, as well as to other pages with information about the aurora. The network members will decide if there is a need for a joint activity other than exchanging ideas.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?
Each participating project has its own data management system. The network will provide links to those systems and be a forum for exchange of ideas.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
The coordination of the network can be accomodated within existing funding. Applications to national funding agencies will be submitted when the intercalibration activities have been outlined.

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
Additional project members: Dr. Dag Lorentzen, The University Centre in Svalbard Professor Jøran Moen, University of Oslo, Norway Dr. Mike Kosch, Lancaster University, UK Dr. Ian McWirther, University College London, UK Professor Roger Smith, Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, USA.

PROPOSER DETAILS

Pro Ingrid Sandahl
Swedish Institute of Space Physics
PO Box 812
Kiruna
SE-981 28
Sweden

Tel: +46 (0)980 79084
Mobile: +46 (0)70 2566889
Fax: +46 (0)980 79050
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation