Regions: Inuvialuit Settlement Region, Gwich'in Settlement Area
Tags: physical sciences, magnetic field, aurora borealis, space weather
| Principal Investigator: | Sofko, George J (9) |
| Licence Number: | 15179 |
| Organization: | University of Saskatchwan |
| Licensed Year(s): |
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2004
|
| Issued: | Dec 20, 2012 |
Objective(s): To measure voltage patterns several hundred kilometers above the ground. These patterns project out into space along the Earth's magnetic field lines.
Project Description: Just as high and low pressure systems drive normal weather, high and low voltages drive space weather. The radar network is designed to measure these voltage patterns several hundred kilometers above the ground and these patterns project out into space along the Earth's magnetic field lines. This information is critical to personnel in space and to maintenance of the satellite telecommunications. The radar installation is rather simple, requiring transmitting and receiving electronics in a small building, and antennas outside. The radar requires a local Field Technical Support Officer (from the Auroral Research Institute) for routine checks and maintenance operations. University of Saskatchewan SuperDARN engineer, Jan Wiid, will make periodic trips to Inuvik to check the radar when problems arise that cannot be handled by the Aurora Research Institute personnel. We hope to work with Gwich’in students, some of whom already attend the U of Saskatchewan College of Education. The research team is willing to provide seminars and talks in the NWT. All scientific publications resulting from the project will be made available to the Aurora Research Institute. The Inuvik PolarDARN radar has been in operation one full year now and although there are several papers in the process of being submitted. The fieldwork for this study will be conducted from January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2013.
