CAPER
Proposal Summary
Title of Investigation: Cleft Accelerated Plasma Experiment Rocket
Principle Investigator and Institution:
Prof. Paul Kintner,
Cornell University
Co-Investigators and Institutions:
- Lead Co-I:
- Prof. R. Arnoldy
- University of New Hampshire
- Lead Co-I:
- Dr. C. Pollock
- Participating Co-I:
- Tom Moore
- Marshall Space Flight Center
- Lead Co-I:
- Dr. C. Deehr
- Participating Co-Is:
- H. Steinbeck-Nielsen, etc.
- University of Alaska
- Lead Co-I:
- Dr. J. Holtet
- University of Oslo
- Lead Co-I:
- Prof. J. Moen
- University Courses at Svalbard (UNIS)
The sounding rocket experiment, CAPER (Cleft Accelerated
Plasma Experiment Rocket) will measure and quantify the effects of
acceleration mechanisms in creating the cusp ion fountain. Specifically
it will address the question of whether current-driven electrostatic
waves are producing transverse ion acceleration within the cusp ion
fountain. In addition, the experiment will employ the new EISCAT Svalbard
radar to provide an ionospheric context and supporting measurements to
test the "plasma friction" hypothesis in creating the cleft ion fountain
(CIF). The first sounding rocket experiment (SCIFER) to probe the CIF
above 1000-km altitude has demonstrated that the CIF can be studied with
sounding rockets and that the ion acceleration mechanism(s) within the
CIF are completely different than when within the discrete nightside aurora.
We propose to use the lessons learned from SCIFER to design and conduct a
sounding rocket experiment that will answer the question of how the
cleft ion fountain originates.
CAPER will be launched from the Andoya Rocket Range over
Svalbard, Norway to study accelerated plasmas in the cleft ion fountain.
The payload will be based on the SCIFER concept, but will be redesigned to
study current-driven instabilities (ES ion cyclotron/ion acoustic), which
transversely accelerate ions. The new payload will include an
interferometer operating from DC to 3 MHz, a scientific magnetometer, and
improved thermal electron and ion instruments. Ground instrumentation
and the new EISCAT Svalbard radar will support this experiment as well as
play important roles in measuring ionospheric parameters. We propose a
January 1998 launch. By building upon the SCIFER concept, this is a
low-risk project.
By investigating the CIF as the source of mass for the magnetosphere,
CAPER will complement the POLAR and Cluster missions to investigate the
high-altitude magnetosphere and its boundaries. CAPER will provide
low-altitude boundary conditions for understanding ionospheric sources for
the magnetosphere. In addition, by providing "space truth" for
ground-based observations, this project will provide a link between
ground-based studies of space and satellite missions, including POLAR,
Cluster, and FAST. This project also complements the FAST mission by
providing (1) ion measurements with higher temporal and spatial
resolution, (2) by measuring electric fields with shorter baseline
antennas to search for short wavelength modes, which are more important
for thermal microphysics, and (3) by measuring thermal electron-phase
space distributions associated with accelerated plasmas. Finally, this
project adds future programs by developing small, lightweight technologies
for future spaceflight opportunities, specifically an imaging thermal-ion
spectometer (TICHS) and an imaging thermal-electron spectrometer
with 32 pitch-angle bins (TECHS).
Please send questions or comments to sppguest@ee.cornell.edu.
Last updated: January 5, 2000.
