PROJECT TITLE: Auroral Electrodynamics with Swarm — ALEOS
Coordinator: The Institute of Space Science
Partners: NationaI Institute for Lasers Plasma and Radiation Physics
Period: 19 November 2012 – 18 November 2015
Project director: Octav Marghitu
Project team:
- PhD: Adrian Blagau, Mircea Ciobanu, Horia Comisel, Dragos Constantinescu, Octav Marghitu
- 2 young scientists: Costel Bunescu, Vlad Constantinescu
- 1 technician: Gavril Tordai
Description: ALEOS concentrates on the auroral region, where the magnetic field lines provide a direct connection between the ionosphere–thermosphere and the magnetosphere.
The project supports the implementation of a Swarm data exploitation proposal, accepted by ESA in Feb. 2012, and benefits from the expertise of colleagues in Germany, Canada, Sweden, and Finland.
ALEOS interacts closely with the VALS project – supporting Romanian contributions to Swarm data validation activities led by GFZ Potsdam (to be presented by Dr. Adrian Blagau).
ALEOS interacts also with the Idei project M–ICAR, http://gpsm.spacescience.ro/micar, and the project POLARIS, http://gpsm.spacescience.ro/polaris, carried on at the International Space Science Institute, Bern.
Project objectives:
- Observation of gradients along auroral arcs (2 Swarm s/c)
- Examination of 2D electrodynamics of the aurora (3 Swarm s/c)
- Proper consideration of the neutral wind influence on the auroral electrodynamics.
- Investigation of the I–T role in the coupled M–I–T system (Swarm, Cluster, THEMIS).
Activities:
Contributions to the STAR programme objectives:
The strong involvement in a key ESA Earth Observation mission contributes to Romania’s participation in ESA programmes, which is the main goal of STAR.
ALEOS answers as well several other goals of the STAR programme:
- Strengthens a research niche at national and international level
- Develops and promotes the national space research capacity
- Supports the development and international visibility of a highly qualified research team
- Enables high quality scientific production by results at international level
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