The Earth?s magnetic field interacts with the supersonic solar wind of charged particles from the Sun to create the magnetosphere. The magnetosphere is the high altitude extension of Earth?s magnetic field, and spans the region of space where the geosynchronous satellites orbit the Earth. Our magnetosphere responds dramatically, even violently, to solar storms resulting in geomagnetic storms and drives the electric currents that cause aurora borealis and intensify the Van Allen radiation belts. The electric currents that flow between Earth?s uppermost atmosphere and the high-altitude magnetosphere are a reflection of the state of the entire region of Earth?s space environment and their measurement allows us to study the system. The Active Magnetosphere and Planetary Electrodynamics Response Experiment (AMPERE) is the first ever system providing continuous, global measurements of these central electric currents and their dynamics as Earth?s magnetosphere responds to solar storms. AMPERE measures these currents by collecting the magnetic field data from all of the Iridium satellites, sampling the field from each satellite once every 20 seconds. There are 66 satellites in the Iridium constellation and AMPERE acquires data around the clock from every single one. With AMPERE we now have a system in place to provide continuous 24/7 pictures of what is really happening to near-Earth space, much like weather radars track the actual progress of weather fronts and major storm systems. Iridium is a private sector constellation of satellites, owned by Iridium Communications. AMPERE is the first-of-its-kind partnership between the commercial sector and research scientists to achieve something that the government could not have accomplished on its own. The expansion of this achievement under AMPERE-II will yield the first capability to observe the electrodynamics of near-Earth space with the global, continuous coverage necessary to resolve geomagnetic storms. It places the scientific community in position to make major advances across a range of challenges in magnetosphere and ionosphere science. AMPERE-II will harness the full potential of these new data to transform our understanding of Earth?s interaction with near-space and increase our ability to cope with the effects of solar storms.
Electric power is the cornerstone technology on which virtually all other infrastructures and services depend. Yet it is particularly vulnerable to adverse space weather effects. Protecting the nation?s power grids from the potential catastrophic effects of space weather is increasingly recognized as a critical element of ensuring the sustainability of modern society. Currents induced in the power grid during geomagnetic storms can actually melt the copper windings of transformers at the heart of most power distribution systems. Replacement of failed transformers can take weeks or months. Sprawling power lines act like antennas, picking up the currents and spreading the problem over a wide area. Accurate understanding and reliable prediction of the electric currents in the Earth?s magnetosphere and ionosphere that cause this space weather effect are crucial. If utility operators know a geomagnetic storm is coming and just how bad it?s going to be, they can take measures to reduce damage?e.g., disconnecting wires, shielding vulnerable electronics, or powering down critical hardware. A few hours without power is better than weeks or worse. AMPERE data continues to be the only global, continuous source for observations of the energy input into the ionosphere via electric currents that are critical for developing improved specification and forecasting of the ionospheric current systems that pose a potential hazard to the power grid. This makes the AMPERE project a critical component in our first line of defense against this potential space weather hazard.
AMPERE-II will provide key observations and derived products of the global Birkeland currents at timescales within geomagnetic storms and substorms together with analysis tools to enable and facilitate research by the broader community to make major advances on important science questions on magnetosphere and ionosphere coupling and dynamics, including: How does the M-I system respond to driving by plasma and magnetic fields of CMEs? What is the M-I system response to solar wind high-speed streams? What are the stages and sequences of activity onset and electrodynamic reconfigurations? What do they tell us about underlying governing processes? How are radiation belt dynamics and high-altitude magnetic reconnection related to and governed by global electrodynamics? What are the consequences of high-latitude electrodynamic forcing for the thermosphere and ionosphere? To maximize the use of AMPERE-II by the research community, the project will carry out a number of engagement activities, including: Forming an AMPERE Users Group as an open forum for updates, questions, requests, and discussion; Establishing an AMPERE Core Users Team as an advisory team to recommend/review new products, validation analyses, and organize workshops; Hosting a series of Science Mini-workshops for focused collaborative science discussion as well as Student Workshops envisioned as 2.5 day events of student science investigations and tutorials.
