HR: 0830h
AN: SM41C-0582 [PDF]
TI: Multiple Balloon Campaign (MINIS) to Study MeV Electron Precipitation
AU: * Sample, J G
EM: jsample@ssl.berkeley.edu
AF: Physics Department and Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720 United States
AU: Smith, D M
EM: dsmith@ssl.berkeley.edu
AF: Physics Department and Santa Cruz Institute for Particle Physics, University of California, Santa Cruz,
Santa Cruz, CA 95064 United States
AU: Parks, G
EM: parks@ssl.berkeley.edu
AF: Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720 United States
AU: Holzworth, R
EM: bobholz@geophys.washington.edu
AF: Department of Eart and SPace Sciences, University of Washington
63 Johnson Hall
Box 351310, Seattle, WA 98195 United States
AU: Bering, E A
EM: eabering@uh.edu
AF: Physics Department, University of Houston
617 Sceince and Research I, Houston, TX 77204-5005 United States
AU: McCarthy, M
EM: mccarthy@geophys.washington.edu
AF: Department of Eart and SPace Sciences, University of Washington
63 Johnson Hall
Box 351310, Seattle, WA 98195 United States
AU: Millan, R
EM: Robyn.Millan@dartmouth.edu
AF: Department of Physics and Astronomy, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755-3528 United States
AU: Kokorowski, M
EM: mkoko@washington.edu
AF: Department of Eart and SPace Sciences, University of Washington
63 Johnson Hall
Box 351310, Seattle, WA 98195 United States
AU: Reddell, B
EM: brandon.d.reddell@boeing.com
AF: Physics Department, University of Houston
617 Sceince and Research I, Houston, TX 77204-5005 United States
AU: Huss, L
EM: lhuss@ssl.berkeley.edu
AF: Physics Department and Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720 United States
AU: Lay, E
EM: erinlay@ess.washington.edu
AF: Department of Eart and SPace Sciences, University of Washington
63 Johnson Hall
Box 351310, Seattle, WA 98195 United States
AU: Bale, S
EM: bale@ssl.berkeley.edu
AF: Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720 United States
AU: Delory, G
EM: gdelory@ssl.berkeley.edu
AF: Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720 United States
AU: O'Brien, P
EM: paul.obrien@aero.org
AF: The Aerospace Corporation, P.O. Box 92957, Los Angeles, CA 90009 United States
AU: Blake, J
EM: Jbernard.Blake@aero.org
AF: The Aerospace Corporation, P.O. Box 92957, Los Angeles, CA 90009 United States
AU: Lin, R P
EM: rlin@ssl.berkeley.edu
AF: Physics Department and Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720 United States
AU: Hughes, A R
EM: hughes@nu.ac.za
AF: Space Physics Research Institute and Physics Department, King George V Ave
University of Natal, Durban, 4014
South Africa
AU: Stoker, P
EM: fskphs@puknet.puk.ac.za
AF: Unit of Space Physics, School of Physics, University of Potchefstroom, Potchefstroom, 2520
South Africa
AU: Moraal, H
EM: fskhm@puknet.puk.ac.za
AF: Unit of Space Physics, School of Physics, University of Potchefstroom, Potchefstroom, 2520
South Africa
AB:
A unique new Antarctic multiple balloon campaign MINIS (MINIature Spectrometer) is set for launch in December `04. Using
small (7000m$^3$) hand-launched balloons, four identical payloads will carry a suite of instruments principally designed to
study the precipitation of relativistic (MeV) electrons from the radiation belts. The payloads will have the opportunity and
the capability to study rare, recently discovered precipitation events that are short-lived and precipitate only the
highest-energy electrons, (Foat et al. 1998, GRL 25, no. 22; Millan et al. 2002, GRL 29, no. 24). Understanding the loss
mechanisms for the MeV electron radiation belt population is interesting in its own right, but may also help us to understand
the origin and acceleration of these particles and better protect satellites from radiation damage. MeV electron
precipitation events may even influence ozone depletion at mid to high latitudes, depending on the downward transport of odd
nitrogen compounds. Each MINIS payload will include a NaI scintillator for the detection of bremsstrahlung X-rays as well as
instruments to detect electromagnetic fields and waves which will help indicate the cause of a given precipitation event. The
payloads will be launched successively in December 2004 from the South African National Antarctic Expedition IV (SANAE) base
(72S,2E) such that they will be able to simultaneously study temporal and spatial variations in the precipitation of
electrons in both the bounce-loss and drift-loss populations at L-values between 4 and 6. Having four balloons at different
positions will also allow us to study magnetic local time effects in the precipitation processes and will also provide a new
platform for studying substorm evolution in conjunction with existing instruments on the ground and in space. In preparation
for the December '04 campaign from SANAE, a single balloon will be launched in December '03 from McMurdo Station, Antarctica
in order to test the payload performance and begin to gather data on these unusual precipitation events.
DE: 2712 Electric fields (2411)
DE: 2716 Energetic particles, precipitating
DE: 2720 Energetic particles, trapped
DE: 2788 Storms and substorms
DE: 2794 Instruments and techniques
SC: SPA - Magnetospheric Physics [SM]
MN: 2003 Fall Meeting