Project Title

First Conjugate-Station Studies and Continued Satellite-Conjunction Studies of LF/MF/HF Auroral Radio Emissions at South Pole

Summary

Event Number:
A-128-S
NSF / OPP Award 2205753

Program Director:
Dr. Marion Dierickx

ASC POC/Implementer:
Marissa Goerke / Sheryl Seagraves

Principal Investigator(s)

Dr. James LaBelle
James.W.LaBelle@dartmouth.edu
Dartmouth College
Department of Physics & Astronomy
Hanover, New Hampshire

Location

Supporting Stations: South Pole Station
Research Locations: South Pole Station, B2 Laboratory

Description

This project operates instruments at South Pole Station to answer outstanding questions raised by (1) correlations between auroral kilometric radiation (AKR) observed 200,000 kilometers above Earth and AKR-like signals observed simultaneously at South Pole Station, (2) findings that higher electron cyclotron harmonic radiation may result from non-linear generation mechanisms, and (3) auroral medium-frequency (MF) burst emissions can be used for timing and locating auroral substorm onsets. An important focus of current research is simultaneous observing these phenomena at South Pole and the magnetic conjugate point to South Pole in northern Canada. These phenomena are best (and often can only be) observed from Antarctica, making the South Pole a required location for this research.

Field Season Overview

No on-site fieldwork will be performed by the science team in 2025-26. Research associate support will be provided throughout the year for routine monitoring and maintenance of equipment, including observation of the equipment in the B2 Lab and V8 vault to ensure they are in normal operating mode; shutdown and restart of software and hardware; data transfer; and communication with the project's principal investigator and other personnel as needed.