Project Title

Antarctic SuperDARN Research, Operations, and System Enhancements

Summary

Event Number:
A-369-M/S
NSF / OPP Award 2035105

Program Director:
Dr. Marion Dierickx

ASC POC/Implementer:
Marissa Goerke / Randolph Jones / Sheryl Seagraves

Principal Investigator(s)

Dr. William Bristow
wab5217@psu.edu
Pennsylvania State University
University Park, Pennsylvania

Location

Supporting Stations: McMurdo Station, South Pole Station
Research Locations: Arrival Heights, South Pole

Description

The Super Dual Auroral Radar Network (SuperDARN) is an international radar network of 32 installations observing high frequency (HF) bands at 8-22 megahertz (MHz). These systems help answer questions about the geomagnetic conjugacy of global magnetic storms and substorms, as well as the differences in ionospheric plasma convection caused by the asymmetry of solar illumination in both hemispheres. SuperDARN can observe global-scale convection with excellent temporal and spatial resolution, making it a powerful tool for ground-based research and enabling scientists to address fundamental and important questions of space physics. The data it acquires are also relevant to space weather studies and enhance the usefulness of data from other instruments.

Field Season Overview

No on-site fieldwork will be performed by the science team in 2025-26. At McMurdo Station, it is anticipated that any damage from over the winter will be repaired, and additional midmast guying to reduce future wind-induced damage will be deferred to an outyear. At McMurdo and South Pole stations, research associate support will be provided throughout the year for routine monitoring and maintenance of equipment to ensure it is in normal operating mode; shutdown and restart of software and hardware; data archiving; and communication with the project's principal investigator and other personnel as needed.