Book Review: Dolores Knipp's Understanding Space Weather and the Physics Behind It

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/96278/1/swe539.pd

Lightning Studies Using VHF Waveform Data

Several atmospheric electricity studies were begun utilizing VHF lightning data obtained with the lightning detection and ranging system (LDAR) at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC). The LDAR system uses differences in the time of arrival of electromagnetic noise generated by the lightning process to seven antennas to calculate very accurate three dimensional locations of lightning. New software was developed to obtain the source location of multiple, simultaneous, and spatially separate lightning signatures. Three studies utilizing these data were begun this summer: (1) VHF observations of simultaneous lightning, (2) ground based VHF observations of transionospheric pulse pairs (TIPPs), and (3) properties of intra-cloud recoil streamers. The principal result of each of these studies are: (1) lightning commonly occurs in well separated (2-50 km) regions simultaneously, (2) large amplitude pairs of VHF pulses are commonly observed on the ground but had not been previously identified due to the large number of signals usually observed in the VHF noise of close lightning, and (3) the VHF Q-noise and pulse signatures associated with K-changes within intra-cloud lightning propagate at velocities of more than 10(exp 8) m/s. The interim results of these three studies are reviewed in this brief report

Paper Session III-B - The Photon Satellite: A Demonstration of Satellite Laser Tracking and Communications

An alliance of Florida universities and companies are proposing to construct a small satellite to demonstrate the feasibility of laser communications for satellite to groundairborne receivers and ground-airborne to satellite receivers. The possibility of using high-data-rate optical transmitters for satellite communications has generated a renew interest in laser communication systems for ground-airborne-to-space and space-toground- airborne data links. Here we describe a ground to satellite experiment to demonstrate the requirements of pointing accuracy and tracking for reliable communications and a novel technique to track a satellite with laser beam

Development of New Research-Quality Low-Resource Magnetometers for Small Satellites

Researchers from the University of Michigan (UM) and NASA Goddard Spaceflight Center (GSFC) are partnering to develop new types of magnetometers for use on future small satellites. These new instruments not only fulfill stringent requirements for low-amplitude and high-precision measurements, they are also enabling the team to develop a new approach to achieve high-quality magnetic measurements from space, without the need for a boom. Typically, space-based magnetometers are deployed on a boom that extends from the space vehicle to reduce exposure of magnetic noise emanating from the spacecraft, which could potentially contaminate measurements. The UMNASA team has developed algorithms to identify and eliminate spacecraft magnetic noise, which will allow placement of these economical, science-grade instrument magnetometers on and inside the satellite bus, instead of on a boom

Importance of capturing heliospheric variability for studies of thermospheric vertical winds

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/95431/1/jgra21925.pd

Small‐scale structure of the midlatitude storm enhanced density plume during the 17 March 2015 St. Patrick’s Day storm

Kilometer‐scale density irregularities in the ionosphere can cause ionospheric scintillation—a phenomenon that degrades space‐based navigation and communication signals. During strong geomagnetic storms, the midlatitude ionosphere is primed to produce these ∼1–10 km small‐scale irregularities along the steep gradients between midlatitude storm enhanced density (SED) plumes and the adjacent low‐density trough. The length scales of irregularities on the order of 1–10 km are determined from a combination of spatial, temporal, and frequency analyses using single‐station ground‐based Global Positioning System total electron content (TEC) combined with radar plasma velocity measurements. Kilometer‐scale irregularities are detected along the boundaries of the SED plume and depleted density trough during the 17 March 2015 geomagnetic storm, but not equatorward of the plume or within the plume itself. Analysis using the fast Fourier transform of high‐pass filtered slant TEC suggests that the kilometer‐scale irregularities formed near the poleward gradients of SED plumes can have similar intensity and length scales to those typically found in the aurora but are shown to be distinct phenomena in spacecraft electron precipitation measurements.Key PointsKilometer‐scale density irregularities measured in single‐station GPS TEC data from the 17 March 2015 storm enhanced density plume systemLocation, intensity, and length scales are estimated from spatial, temporal, and frequency analyses of multiple instrument dataFormation regions for small‐scale irregularities with length scales of 3‐10 km are identified for plasma velocities of 500–1200 m s−1Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/136745/1/jgra53295_am.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/136745/2/jgra53295.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/136745/3/jgra53295-sup-0001-supplementary.pd

Four-Magnetometer Board for CubeSat Applications

A magnetometer board intended for CubeSat applications is presented. The board contains four PNI RM3100 magnetometers handled by a single MSP430 microcontroller. The low mass, size and power consumption of the individual magnetometers enables the inclusion of four sensors, thus improving the resolution of the system by a factor of two. The PNI RM3100 magnetometers have been thoroughly tested and characterized in a laboratory environment with the objective of detecting ULF waves in the Earth’s magnetosphere. With the launch of the Michigan Bicentennial Archive (M-BARC) CubeSat scheduled for 2019, the magnetometer will be flown in space for the first time, increasing the TRL of the system to level 7

Strong postmidnight equatorial ionospheric anomaly observations during magnetically quiet periods

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/94882/1/jgra20156.pd

Appreciation of peer reviewers for 2015

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/133577/1/rog20102.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/133577/2/rog20102_am.pd