HR: 08:45h
AN: SM51D-04    [Abstracts]
TI: Global Monitoring of Relativistic Electron Precipitation with Balloon Networks: MINIS and Beyond
AU: * Millan, R M
EM: Robyn.Millan@dartmouth.edu
AF: Dartmouth College, Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, Hanover, NH 03755 United States
AU: Smith, D M
EM: dsmith@scipp.ucsc.edu
AF: University of California, Santa Cruz, SCIPP, Santa Cruz, CA 95064 United States
AU: Sample, J G
EM: jsample@ssl.berkeley.edu
AF: University of California, Berkeley, Space Sciences Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 93923 United States
AU: Bale, S
EM: bale@ssl.berkeley.edu
AF: University of California, Berkeley, Space Sciences Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 93923 United States
AU: Bering, E A
EM: eabering@uh.edu
AF: University of Houston, Dept. of Physics, Houston, TX 77204 United States
AU: Blake, J B
EM: JBernard.Blake@aero.org
AF: Aerospace Corporation, Box 92957, Los Angeles, CA 90009 United States
AU: Collier, A B
EM: colliera@nu.ac.za
AF: University of Natal, Physics Department, Durban, 4001 South Africa
AU: Holzworth, R H
EM: bobholz@ess.washington.edu
AF: University of Washington, Dept. of Earth and Space Sciences, Seattle, WA 98195 United States
AU: Hughes, A R
EM: hughes@nu.ac.za
AF: University of Natal, Physics Department, Durban, 4001 South Africa
AU: Kokorowski, M
EM: mkoko@washington.edu
AF: University of Washington, Dept. of Earth and Space Sciences, Seattle, WA 98195 United States
AU: Lay, E
EM: erinlay@washington.edu
AF: University of Washington, Dept. of Earth and Space Sciences, Seattle, WA 98195 United States
AU: Lin, R P
EM: rlin@ssl.berkeley.edu
AF: University of California, Berkeley, Space Sciences Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 93923 United States
AU: McCarthy, M P
EM: mccarthy@ess.washington.edu
AF: University of Washington, Dept. of Earth and Space Sciences, Seattle, WA 98195 United States
AU: Moraal, H
EM: rskhm@puk.ac.za
AF: North-West University, School of Physics, Potschefstroom, 2520 South Africa
AU: O'Brien, T P
EM: Paul.OBrien@aerospace.org
AF: Aerospace Corporation, Box 92957, Los Angeles, CA 90009 United States
AU: Parks, G K
EM: parks@ssl.berkeley.edu
AF: University of California, Berkeley, Space Sciences Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 93923 United States
AU: Pulupa, M
EM: pulupa@ssl.berkeley.edu
AF: University of California, Berkeley, Space Sciences Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 93923 United States
AU: Reddell, B D
EM: brandon.d.reddell@boeing.com
AF: University of Houston, Dept. of Physics, Houston, TX 77204 United States
AU: Stoker, P
EM: fskphs@puk.ac.za
AF: North-West University, School of Physics, Potschefstroom, 2520 South Africa
AU: Woodger, L A
EM: Leslie.Woodger@dartmouth.edu
AF: Dartmouth College, Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, Hanover, NH 03755 United States
AB: The MINIS balloon campaign was conducted in January 2005 to obtain the first multi-point balloon measurements of relativistic electron precipitation. A total of six small (~50-90 lbs) payloads, were launched from the South African Antarctica Station (SANAE) and Churchill, Manitoba. Each payload carried a NaI scintillator to measure bremsstrahlung X-rays produced by precipitating electrons, and the southern payloads carried electric and magnetic field instruments. Three MINIS payloads (at L=3.5,4.1,and L~10) simultaneously detected bursts of relativistic precipitation on January 21, 2005 between 1700-2000 UT (1230-1500 MLT). We summarize the MINIS results, focusing on the spatial structure of precipitation during these events. These observations reveal the large spatial extent and complicated spatial structure of precipitation, and demonstrate the importance of simultaneously monitoring precipitation over a wide range of latitudes and local times to obtain accurate estimates of the relativistic electron loss rate. In particular, multiple-balloon observations will be an essential tool for globally monitoring precipitation during upcoming radiation belt missions such as the RBSP mission.
DE: 2716 Energetic particles: precipitating
DE: 2774 Radiation belts
DE: 2794 Instruments and techniques
SC: SPA-Magnetospheric Physics [SM]
MN: Fall Meeting 2005