The first step towards the realisation of the new EISCAT_3D research radar system:

Two VHF receiver sites and a mobile, low altitude radar facility

Asta Pellinen-Wannberg, UmU and IRF-KirunaLars Blomberg, KTH

Stephan Buchert, IRF-UppsalaJörg Gumbel, SU

Gudmund Wannberg, IRF-Kiruna

many other present and potential new users and contributors

This proposal covers four science/technology items

• Atmospheric physics – both upper and tropo/stratosphere

• Auroral geospace physics• Solar system dust physics• Innovative radar technology

The Swedish infrastructure proposed here comprises an EISCAT_ 3D subsystem:

• Two VHF (230-MHz) receiver arrays for multi- static observations in the (60 – 200) km altitude range

• the upper part of the mesosphere and • the ionospheric D, E and F1 regions

• Receivers and signal-processing and data communications equipment for the above

• A small mobile transmitter/receiver system to provide test signals during the construction and commissioning of the main arrays. This will later be used in multiple applications

• Stand-alone troposphere/stratosphere radar,• Illuminator for the main arrays for bistatic stratosphere work, and • Outlier receiving array for interferometric studies of small scale

auroral structures

Medium auroral oval Expanded oval

The auroral oval, medium and expanded:

The polar vortex

The Atmosphere

ozonelayer

waveswinds

100

80

60

40

20

0

n o c tilu cen t c lo u ds

tropopause

stratopause

mesosphere

stratosphere

troposphere

altit

ude

(km

)

1 00 3 00temperature (K)

waves

winds

stratospheric clouds

mountain leewaves

magneticfield

mesopause

6 00

aurora

air - Earth current

PMSE

What is the difference? – example PMSE at EISCAT VHF and PFISR:

EISCAT_3D: better frequency for PMSE studies than PFISR; multistatic – 3D drifts and can look simultaneously from different angles

Nicolls et al., 2007

EISCAT interest in Sweden, ~2005-present:

• IRF-Kiruna ~ 15; upper atmosphere, auroral geospace, induced space plasma, solar system dust, technology innovation, coding technics, computation

• IRF-Uppsala ~ 10; auroral geospace, induced space plasma, technology innovation

• SU ~ 5; upper atmosphere• KTH ~ 5; auroral geospace• UmU ~ 10; solar system dust, auroral geospace,

computation• LTU ~ 5; technology innovation

Additional potential interest in Sweden:

• Tropo/stratosphere, climate• Astronomy, VLBI, IPS, comets, asteroids,

interstellar dust• Plasma physics• Magnetospheric radar together with Lofar/LOIS• Planetary, moon, NEO, space debris, space

weather, TEC; operative collaboration with ESA• Technology innovation, coding technics, data

processing and computation• Something for most universities in Sweden• Interaction with industry• New discoveries...

Orbits of 194 solar system dust particles observed during 24 hours around the autumnal equinox 2005

Thanks to

• Torbjörn Lövgren• Sheila Kirkwood• Csilla Szasz• Johan Kero