THEMIS-ARTEMIS Status

Transcription

1 THEMIS- Status Vassilis Angelopoulos THEMIS mini-swt 1 SSL/UCB Dec.19, 2009

2 First 10 months: Commissioning and Coast Phase Observations TH-B TH-C TH-D TH-E TH-A P1 P2 P3 P4 P Launch= Y GSE X GSE THEMIS mini-swt 2 SSL/UCB Dec.19, 2009

3 First year baseline orbit (FY08) Y GSE Tail X GSE Dayside TH-B TH-C TH-D TH-E TH-A P1 P2 P3 P4 P5 Second year baseline orbit (FY09) Y GSE Dayside 2 Til2 Tail X GSE THEMIS mini-swt 3 SSL/UCB Dec.19, 2009

4 Current Orbits, 2 nd Dayside (FY09) + THEMIS mini-swt 4 SSL/UCB Dec.19, 2009

5 Extended Phase Mission Concept THEMIS = THEMIS baseline + THEMIS mini-swt 5 SSL/UCB Dec.19, 2009

6 THEMIS Mission Status All instruments functioning nominally Cross calibration, inter-calibration performed during coast-phase Team discoveries are changing the field, excite the public Science discoveries piling up >100 papers in refereed journals GRL special issue on THEMIS, on Coast Phase JGR special issue on THEMIS First Results ICS10 meeting coming up special issue in JGR (THEMIS-centric) Data collected per plan, and widely disseminated First tail season showed thinner tail than expected Preliminary results published; adjusted 2 nd tail season orbit Second tail season results are a resounding success More than a dozen substorms collected: unique features on quiet time substorms Mission completion on time, on budget by September 2009 Constellation available in good health for extended mission: FY Extended Phase Approved in Senior Review (Jun 09) thru Sep 2012 THEMIS and comprise the THEMIS Extended Phase Instruments checked out especially for low field conditions THEMIS extended phase planning has started Clustered configuration, unique at inner magnetosphere; at km Preparing the ground for MMS that will revisit the region in technical implementation going very well THEMIS mini-swt 6 SSL/UCB Dec.19, 2009

7 THEMIS+: Financial Status THEMIS in late FY09 and extended phase has incurred a 40% reduction in force Science and operations for THEMIS had to be reduced significantly, but is now stable Early reductions due to support of that could not be covered by available cash-flow Personnel plan has stabilized, plan fits available budget Philosophy: Support youngest team members with partial support for senior members. Maintain only critical mission operations, science/instrument processing functions Reduced community support to: 1. sustaining already developed tools and 2. continue training Discovery potential is tremendous, as THEMIS tools mature & data quality improves THEMIS is a gold mine, due to already collected data and regions to be visited in the next 2 years It is important for team members to obtain NASA/SR&T, NSF support. 1. Solar/Heliospheric SR&T (LOI December 4, 2009, Proposals February 5, 2010) GI due in May, SR&T due July, TR&T due October, NSF: Space Weather in January, Base: Jul-Sep THEMIS FY12-14: 14: additional ~25% decrease expected (Requires ops reduction) has been funded by HPS Senior Review 08, for operations only Plans now: get to the moon, ensure data comes back, processed and released Contract to be executed with proposed personnel plan (by January) Planetary goals : proposal submitted but in a joint Helio+Planetary decision not evaluated Helio MO&DA program over-committed cash-flow status in 2010 is unclear THEREFORE: HQ requested that a Helio+Planetary Senior Review proposal be submitted jointly Separate from THEMIS, will be evaluated by joint panel of experts Upon (positive) re-evaluation, cash-flow will be committed for remainder of the year THEMIS mini-swt 7 SSL/UCB Dec.19, 2009

8 Statement of Task for this SWT THEMIS proposal Evaluate proposed plans for FY10-12 and revise as necessary Maximize scientific productivity and quality science How can the team advance the field forward? Discuss main mission objectives for FY Keep mission operationally simple, yet scientifically productive Increase synergy with RBSP Increase synergy with ERG and Orbitals Plan out FY14-16 and request appropriate budget planning for it Synergy with MMS is significant; advance planning required proposal Evaluate proposed plans for FY10-12 Take into account recent Geotail and Kaguya results, look into synergy with LRO & LADEE Discuss plans for FY12-14; probes will continue to be in-orbit about the moon Look into synergy with LADEE prime/extended and upcoming International Lunar Network THEMIS mini-swt 8 SSL/UCB Dec.19, 2009

9 P3,4,5 tail science Significant capability beyond THEMIS Probes P3,4,5 in an R plane, never achieved before, measure: Cross-tail and field aligned currents under invariance (ideal 3-point tail constellation) Tailward expansion speeds using timing, lateral expansion using finite gyroradius :00:00 Z Y P5 P4 P3 P3 X P4 X P5 THEMIS mini-swt 9 SSL/UCB Dec.19, 2009

10 P3,4,5 dayside science Significant capability beyond THEMIS Probes P3,4,5 in an R plane, never achieved before, measure: Magnetopause and field aligned currents under under invariance (ideal 3-point dayside constellation) Bracket reconnection site, measure inflow and outflow conditions :00:00 Z 1 st, 2 nd, 3 rd extended dayside Scales: R E, P3 out P4 P3 P5 X THEMIS mini-swt 10 SSL/UCB Dec.19, 2009

11 Extended THEMIS (P3,P4,P5) At the Magnetotail, Study: Nature of the near-earth current sheet Dissipation of bursty fast flows Result: Ability to map and model key instability region With first ever: Simultaneous dr-dz separations, 0.1-1R E Clustered orbits study the 8-12R E region :00:00 Z X FAST P4 P5 P3 X Y Courtesy: Pulkkinen and Wiltberger THEMIS mini-swt 11 SSL/UCB Dec.19, 2009

12 Extended THEMIS (P3,P4,P5) At Subsolar Magnetopause, study: Asymmetric reconnection: dynamics, evolution and role of cold ions Internal FTE structure and electron acceleration Result: Hall-physics of subsolar magneto-pause reconnection, paves way to MMS :00:00 Z 1 st, 2 nd, 3 rd extended dayside Scales: R E, P3 out Using novel: Simultaneous dr-dz separations at R E monitor inflow and outflow Cluster-like separations at subsolar region P4 P3 P5 X [THEMIS Coast Phase Mozer et al. GRL] THEMIS mini-swt 12 SSL/UCB Dec.19, 2009

13 Extended THEMIS (P3,P4,P5) At Inner Magnetosphere, Study Role of: ULF/VLF/EMIC waves on ion, electron energization/losses Large electric fields on storm time ring current Result: Comprehensive AC waves and E-fields models Using novel: 0.1-2R E separations to resolve temporal/spatial evolution of gradients daily conjunctions: PFISR, S-DARN P3 P4 P5 THEMIS mini-swt 13 SSL/UCB Dec.19, 2009

14 Beyond Substorm Timing, 2 nd tail (FY09) + Continue analysis of prime mission 2 nd year tail, present at upcoming AGU: Macroscale interactions: flow diversion or tailward retreat of X-line? Means of ionospheric i coupling Coupling to local instabilities: ballooning, interchange and whistler modes Statistics of triggers under a variety of solar wind conditions Beyond prime: resolve open questions on substorms: What causes gradual auroral brightening ahead of onset? What process enables the current sheet to reconnect? Does tail history dictate onset mechanism, location? Extended mission is ideally positioned to go beyond timing studies THEMIS mini-swt 14 SSL/UCB Dec.19, 2009

15 (P1,P2) in FY10,11,12: Mission Concept FY10: Translunar injection FY11-12: 6mo in Lissajous orbits + 17 mo in Lunar orbits Magnetotail Lunar Wake Formation/Evolution THEMIS P1 X P2 Moon Turbulent wake? Last closed field line Geotail P2 P1 Diffusive Particle Acceleration Solar Wind Shock tangent Foreshock waves THEMIS mini-swt 15 SSL/UCB Dec.19, 2009

16 Translunar injection phase (Oct 09 Oct 10) No Science, just get there. Note: Orbit Raise Maneuvers (ORMs) start: July 2009, in parallel with THEMIS 2 nd dayside operations (THEMIS dayside requirements met already since 1 st dayside season) Phases Lissajous Phase (Oct 10 Apr 11) Note: First 3 months: opposite sides, Next 3 months: same side Lunar Orbit Phase (May 11 Sep 12) Note: P1 retrograde, and P2 prograde, such that orbital separations and separation vectors cover full parameter space THEMIS mini-swt 16 SSL/UCB Dec.19, 2009

17 Science Objectives, #1 In the Magnetosphere, study: Particle acceleration: X-line or O-line? Reconnection: 3D character; global effects Turbulence: Drivers and effects Result: Reveal 3D distant tail, dynamics In conjunction with: Solar wind monitors: ACE, WIND, STEREO Inner magnetosphere monitors: Cluster, Geotail, FAST Using the first: Two point: dx, dy measurements at scales from ion gyroradius to several R E Even single point measurements are critical in this region THEMIS mini-swt 17 SSL/UCB Dec.19, 2009

18 Science Objectives, #2 In the Solar Wind, study: Particle acceleration at shocks Nature and extent of elusive low-shear reconnection Properties of inertial range of turbulence Result: Advance our understanding of particle acceleration and turbulence in Heliosphere In conjunction with: Other solar wind monitors: ACE, WIND, STEREO is: High-fidelity solar wind monitor In beacon mode if requested Using first of a kind: two point measurements at scales 1-10 R E, ideal for study of particle evolution in shocks, at foreshock and inertial range of turbulence WIND can replace one of two probes in this study THEMIS mini-swt 18 SSL/UCB Dec.19, 2009

19 Science Objectives, #3 At the Moon/Wake: Study 3D structure and evolution of wake Understand particle acceleration at wake Understand wake refilling under various SW conditions Result: Advance our understanding of wakes at planetary moons, plasma void refilling around large objects (Shuttle, ISS, Hubble) Using first of a kind: two point measurements at scales R E, ideal for twopoint correlations within wake and between wake and solar wind Comprehensively instrumented satellites have never studied wake from various vantage points, thus even single point measurements are critical. THEMIS mini-swt 19 SSL/UCB Dec.19, 2009

20 Summary THEMIS has delivered on its promises Major discoveries from coast phase in GRL, JGR, SSR special issues Baseline mission accomplished, substorm trigger identified, 2 nd year data collected New results in dayside and inner magnetosphere are taking the field to new heights THEMIS extended phase A Cluster incarnation in equatorial orbits in FY10-12 LWS synergy in FY12-14: Continuous coverage of rad. belt sources; 6 rad. belt traversals daily In excellent position to support MMS in FY14-17 THEMIS+: Continue to fully embrace community All Data Open in CDF, IDL Analysis Code on-line, VMO/SPASE Help line available; Mirror sites proliferating; Software tutorials at main meetings THEMIS+ in FY10-12: 12: Is The Cornerstone of Heliophysics Observatory In novel orbits, with comprehensive instrumentation, address pressing Heliophysics questions THEMIS baseline = Clustered at equator : uniquely suited to address current dynamics, dissipation = Two probes, address fundamental physics in Tail, Solar wind and at the Lunar distances A bridge in Heliophysics discipline, between ISTP+Cluster era and RBSP, MMS era Complement existing missions and provide context for new ones (e.g., RBSP, ERG, Orbitals, MMS) THEMIS mini-swt 20 SSL/UCB Dec.19, 2009