Schedule Notes Viewer Vn 3.2

ESR: DXL 2022 01 09 0600 - 2022 01 09 0830

Scheduled for 0430 - 0830

Description

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Notes

This proposal requests EISCAT time for a campaign to measure the global structure of the 
magnetospheric cusp. Although the community has measured the cusp in a variety of ways 
through in-situ rockets and spacecraft as well as through ground-based imaging and probing 
of the footprint, it has never before been possible to create an instantaneous three-
dimensional (latitude, longitude, and altitude) global picture. It is proposed to make this global 
measurement through a coordinated study with the EISCAT Svalbard Radar and the NASA-
funded DXL sounding rocket. Launching from Wallops Flight Facility in January 2022, the 
Diffuse X-rays of the Local galaxy (DXL) sounding rocket will measure emission from the high 
and mid-altitude cusp with soft X-rays emitted from charge-exchange. The EISCAT Svalbard 
Radar will provide the necessary low-altitude constraints on the morphology of the cusp 
footprint and convection within the ionosphere. This global picture will provide information of 
the true spatial extent, structure, and morphology, which in turn describes how energy and 
plasma is entering the magnetosphere from the solar wind. The proposed project will be a 
pathfinder for the ESA-SMILE mission to launch in 2024 that will be measuring the same 
charge-exchange X-rays from the cusps.

DXL – The Diffuse X-rays from the Local galaxy (DXL) sounding rocket will measure soft X-rays 
within the high-altitude cusp emitted through charge exchange. Whenever and wherever high 
charge state solar wind ions (e.g., O+7, C+6, Mg+10, Fe+10) encounter neutrals, charge 
exchange occurs, resulting in the emission of soft X-rays (0.1-2keV). This process has been 
observed in a number of regions of space including comets [Cravens et al., 2002], the moon 
[Wargelin et al., 2004; Collier et al., 2014], Mars [Holmström et al., 2001; Dennerl, 2002], 
and Venus [Dennerl, 2008]. Now we are trying to make the same measurements around our 
own planet. The entire set of measurements from the rocket will be made over 5 minutes. The 
launch is managed by Wallops Flight Facility from the Wallops launch range during the window 
from January 4 to 15, 2022. The launch period is restricted based on the view angles between 
the cusp and the moon (>20°) and the sun (>90°). On the rocket, the X-rays will be 
measured through a proportional counter. The rocket payload has performed successfully on 
two previous flights (2012, 2015 - both from White Sands, NM) and thus ensures a high 
likelihood of success [previous results Thomas et al., 2013; Galeazzi et al., 2012, 2014; Collier 
et al., 2015]. Now we are trying to make the first coordinated observations with a ground-
based radar under the polar cusp.

EISCAT Svalbard Radar (ESR) will provide altitude profiles up to 600 km in real-time of the 
ionospheric electron density, electron temperature, ion temperature, and ion velocity along the 
magnetic field line under the cusp. The ESR observations will fill in the low altitude cusp that is 
unobservable by the sounding rocket. The ESR measurements will also provide a time-series 
of evolving dynamics in the cusp prior, during and after the DXL sounding rocket flight. This is 
a necessary feature due to the convergence of the cusp at low altitude. Since the structures 
will fill a smaller spatial region, a higher spatial resolution is needed to resolve them. We 
therefore request operation of the ESR 42 m antenna only. Our preferred experiment mode is 
IPY, which outputs data of both the incoherent scatter ion and plasma lines in the E and F 
regions.

Proposing Team - The team has a broad set of expertise, designed to handle the range of 
observing tools and science objectives. Dr. Qudsi is an expert in solar wind-magnetosphere 
coupling and solar wind dynamics. Dr. Galeazzi is an X-ray astrophysicist and will coordinate 
the rocket launch and analysis and calibration of the DXL rocket data [Galeazzi et al., 2012]. 
Dr. Zou has a background in magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling through a variety of 
experimental tools including spacecraft, all-sky imagers, and radar systems [Zou et al., 2016]. 
She will participate in planning and analysis of the radar measurements. Dr. Kuntz is an expert 
in soft X-ray generation physics and will advise in signal generation. Lastly Dr. Walsh has 
background in soft X-rays and magnetospheric dynamics, focusing on the magnetopause and 
in the cusp [Walsh et al., 2016a; 2016b; 2017]. Prof. Oksavik has extensive experience on the 
polar ionosphere, including EISCAT campaigns targeted towards the cusp aurora [Oksavik et 
al., 2004; 2012]. He will coordinate the team and participate in data analysis.

Our preferred EISCAT experiment is IPY on 42 m antenna, with both ion and plasma lines.

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