Renewal of the South American Meridional B-field Array (SAMBA): An American-Chilean magnetometer chain

University Of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles CA

Investigators

Abstract

The proposed work is the continued operation of a latitudinally extended magnetometer chain in Chile and Antarctica (SAMBA = South American Meridional B-field Array). Previous work has brought the twelve stations into full operation and has brought it to the attention of the scientific community. The next five years of operation will address key science objectives, further the international collaborations already begun, further develop the data distribution system, and to maintain and develop the magnetometer network The primary science objectives are: (1) the quantitative determination of the effect solar wind dynamic pressure enhancements have on the asymmetric ring current, (2) a more reliable automated determination of field-line resonances (FLR), (3) the investigation of constraints on models used to determine equatorial mass density from FLRs, (4) the remote monitoring of the inner magnetospheric mass density during storms, and (5) auroral conjugate observations of substorms in conjunction with NASA's THEMIS mission (THEMIS = Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms).