Pulsating aurora observed from balloons and from the ground

Regions: North Slave Region

Tags: physical sciences, aurora borealis

Principal Investigator: Cully, Christopher (1)
Licence Number: 16285
Organization: University of Calgary
Licensed Year(s): 2018
Issued: Mar 29, 2018
Project Team: Emma Spanswick, Eric Donovan, Lukas Vollmerhaus

Objective(s): To test several prototype instruments that will help understand the high-energy particles involved in pulsating aurora.

Project Description: The research team want to test several prototype instruments: cameras, radio receivers and an X-ray instrument on a high-altitude balloon. The hope is to collect data from all of those instruments that will help to understand the high-energy particles involved in pulsating aurora. The research team will observe pulsating aurora through the prototype cameras and anticipate deploying on a frozen lake near Yellowknife in order to get a good view of the sky that will run for several nights. The research team will also observe pulsating aurora with a radio receiver (same location and same nights as the cameras). The instrument uses a radio frequency not used for communications. A prototype X-ray instrument will fly on a high-altitude balloon 30 km overhead of those instruments. The balloon would be launched from near Yellowknife (perhaps near Behchoko if the high-altitude winds are fast), and would be slightly larger than... Show more a standard weather balloon. It would fly several hundred km in a few hours, at which point the instrument would be cut loose from the balloon and descend by parachute. The balloon would retrieve the payload by helicopter the next morning. The research project is closely tied to a CBC documentary on the Northern Lights. The documentary is to be narrated by David Suzuki, and is scheduled to air on CBC in 2018. The research team are all passionate about aurora, and are trying to create a beautiful and interesting TV show. Filming will mostly be around Yellowknife, and the team hope to inspire tourists to visit the area and see the spectacular aurora themselves. Primarily, the research team are hoping that the results will be communicated nationally when the documentary airs. The fieldwork for this study will be conducted from March 29, 2018 to April 30, 2018. Show less