North-South America Network of Magnetically Conjugate All-Sky Imagers

• Main Authors: Mendillo, Michael, Baumgardner, Jeffrey, Martinis, Carlos, Wroten, Joei
• Other Authors: BOSTON UNIV MA CENTER FOR SPACE PHYSICS
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 2015
• Subjects: Atmospheric Physics; Geomagnetism; Optics; Radiofrequency Wave Propagation; *ALL SKY CAMERAS; *ASTRONOMICAL INSTRUMENTS; *IONOSPHERIC DISTURBANCES; *SATELLITE IMAGERY; COMMUNICATION AND RADIO SYSTEMS; INSTALLATION; MAGNETOSPHERE; MULTISENSORS; OPTICAL EQUIPMENT; PLASMASPHERE; RADIO INTERFERENCE; SATELLITE NETWORKS; THERMOSPHERE; UPPER ATMOSPHERE; *SPACE WEATHER; ALL-SKY-IMAGING; STABLE AURORAL RED ARCS; MEDIUM SCALE TRAVELING IONOSPHERIC DISTURBANCES; EQUATORIAL-SPREAD-F; Argentina; Antarc*; Antarctica
• Online Access: http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA616484; http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA616484

The goal of this grant was to create a network of low light level optical imaging systems to study the behavior of the ionosphere and the types of upper atmosphere disturbances that lead to disruptions in radio communications and navigation systems used by DoD and civilian communities. The instruments were not purchased, but built at Boston University using commercially available components, with in house fabrication suitable for installation at selected observatories in the northern and southern hemispheres. The sites selected are linked by common geomagnetic field lines (so called magnetic conjugate point locations) a requirement for the space science objectives to be enabled by the instruments. Seven all sky imagers (ASIs) were fabricated and tested in the Imaging Science Laboratory of the Center for Space Physics at Boston University. Five of the sites selected are taking data (in Massachusetts, Columbia, Peru, Argentina and Antarctica), and two remain to be installed (North Carolina and South Africa). The logistical elements for the non US sites proved to be complex issues, each unique for that country, and that was the main reason for a no cost extension at the end of the initial two year grant. The final two instruments to be deployed will be accomplished in 2015 using funds made available through the Center for Space Physics. The original document contains color images.