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January 10th, 2008
SCIFER 2 (Sounding of the Cleft Ion Fountain Energization Region Two)
Thursday January 10, 2008 Update
This is ninth update for SCIFER 2 collaborators and friends participating in the SCIFER 2 campaign. If you do not wish to be included in these emails, please ask to be removed from future mailings.
Breaking news:
The ninth count was held on Thursday January 10, 2008 with the window opening at 0600 UT. The winds at Andoya Rocket Range were quiet and permitted launching. The science team continues to drive directly to KHO Auroral Observatory and attached is picture of the observatory taken this morning. When we arrived there was a moderate auroral display and quiet auroral arcs maintained themselves to the north of Svalbard for the first half of the window dissipating for the second half. The next count down begins at 0300 UT (0400 Norway time). Science station time is 0330 UT (0430 Norway time) at UNIS IPY room. A decision will be made whether to stay in town or to proceed to the KHO Auroral Observatory. The forecast tomorrow is for colder and clearer weather.
Local color: The station director Fred Sigernes took a time lapse picture 30 s) of the four Americans entering the auroral observatory. We are the four dark shapes toward bottom center. I am on the left. The aurora can be seen above us and far in the background, ten miles away, is yellow from the sodium vapor lights in Svalbard.
Space Weather Conditions
The space weather conditions were moderate today. The solar wind velocity subsided somewhat to 400 km/s and the density (1/cm^3) and magnetic field (4 nT) were small. The STEREO B satellite indicates that the solar wind speed will be quiet for tomorrow’s window. The solar wind magnetic field was variable with nearly all conditions occurring. There was auroral activity that stayed well north of Svalbard during the first half of the window. Little if any activity was seen in the EISCACT Svalard Radar. The skies have cleared over Svalbard but are predicted to be cloudy for the next several days.
Current Weather Conditions:
Longyearbyen: Temperature -15.7 C (-3.7F), wind chill -24.8 C (-12.6 F), clear skies
Rocket/Payload status: The payload is mounted on the launcher and is operating nominally. The payload was in the vertical position and nominal for the window today
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Phone numbers for science launch operations
Backup Science Center at UNIS, Longyearbyen 79 02 64 48
KHO Auroral Observatory 79 02 64 70 or 71
EISCAT 79 02 12 36
CUTLASS Ops 44-116-252-3520