Rad-Sat

Rad-Sat is a NERC Highlight Topic that brings together a consortium of scientists from 5 different UK research groups, stakeholders from the space industry and a network of international collaborators. The project will deliver new processed data, a better forecasting capability and expertise that will support the UK Government assessment of severe space weather for the National Risk Register and the growth of the satellite industry.  Further information can be found at www.rad-sat.ac.uk

Background

Over the last 10 years the number of operational satellites in orbit has grown from 450 to more than 1400.   We rely on these satellites more than ever before for a wide range of applications such as mobile phones, TV signals, internet, navigation and financial services.  All these satellites must be designed to withstand the harsh radiation environment in space for a design life that can be as long as 15 years or more.

During magnetic storms the electron flux inside the radiation belts can increase by four orders of magnitude on a timescale of a few days, but this increase can be as fast as 2 minutes. The flux can also decrease rapidly over a period of a few minutes, but usually takes place more slowly over a period of several days.   We do not understand why these timescales vary so much.  It is the increase in flux and its duration that poses a major risk to satellites.  Thus to help satellite designers, operators and space insurance assess the impact of space weather and mitigate its effects we need to understand how the radiation belts are formed and what controls the variability.

New results from the NASA Van Allen Probes and THEMIS satellite missions show that wave-particle interactions play the major role in the acceleration, transport and loss of high energy electrons and hence the variability of the radiation belts. Therefore the project focusses on key scientific questions associated with wave-particle interactions.

The goal

The goal of this proposal is to determine the acceleration, transport and loss of high energy electrons due to wave-particle interactions and use them in state-of–the-art modelling and forecasting of space weather events to protect satellites. To achieve this goal we have set six scientific objectives.

The Rad-Sat team at the project kick-off meeting held at BAS on 20th June 2017

The goal of this proposal is to determine the acceleration, transport and loss of high energy electrons due to wave-particle interactions and use them in state-of-the-art modelling and forecasting of space weather events to protect satellites.

To achieve this goal we have set 6 scientific objectives:

• To investigate the role of magnetosonic waves, hiss, transmitters and lightning generated whistlers on the global dynamics
  of the radiation belts and develop state-of-the-art modelling and forecasting for space weather events
• To determine the properties of magnetosonic waves, hiss, transmitters and lightning generated whistlers and assess their
  importance for the acceleration and loss of radiation belt electrons
• To determine the relative importance of non-linear effects on wave-induced acceleration and loss
• To determine the transport of electrons via Ultra-Low Frequency magnetosonic waves, and to determine their role in
  electron precipitation
• To determine how wave-particle interactions depend on the time history of the solar wind driver so as to significantly
  improve forecasting models
• To investigate radiation belt dynamics during shock-driven severe space weather events and provide a new forecasting
  capability

The Rad-Sat Project is lead by Richard Horne at the British Antarctic Survey.  The following organisations and people are also involved:

Project partners

Clare Watt	Jonathan Rae	Michail Balikhin	Jonathan Eastwood
Oliver Allanson	Colin Forsyth	Simon Walker	Jerry Chittenden
Sarah Bentley	Marina Georgiou

1. Dr Nigel Meredith awarded 2025 Chapman Medal for plasma wave research

   The Royal Astronomical Society (RAS) has awarded the 2025 Chapman Medal to Dr Nigel Meredith for his world leading and transformative research on plasma waves in magnetospheric physics.

   Read more of: Dr Nigel Meredith awarded 2025 Chapman Medal for plasma wave research

   

2. Appleton Prize awarded to Professor Richard Horne

   British Antarctic Survey is pleased to announce the Appleton Prize 2020 has been awarded to Professor Richard Horne, Head of the Space Weather and Atmosphere science team at British Antarctic […]

   Read more of: Appleton Prize awarded to Professor Richard Horne