SPEAR

In preparation for SPEAR, research projects which will be undertaken in the immediate future in this area include:

Analysis of ultra-high resolution velocity data obtained by CUTLASS using artificial ionospheric targets created by SPEAR to investigate key dynamical processes in the magnetosphere
Development of new wave and particle injection experiments in conjunction with satellite overpasses of SPEAR
Investigation of the Ionospheric Alfvén Resonator (IAR)
Exploration of the magnetic linkage between ground- and space-based observations via field line tagging wave injection experiments
Investigation of particle acceleration processes at the top of the IAR
High power magnetospheric sounding experiments

Modelling the changes to the global middle atmosphere circulation driven by solar variability
Assessing the contribution of sprites to the production of NOx in the stratosphere and mesosphere
A study of long period global scale waves at high latitudes using the meteor detection capability of the SuperDARN HF radar network

 
Some of the experiments used by the Radio and Space Plasma Psysics Group

 
The SPEAR antenna field under construction

A schematic of the SPEAR field line tagging experiment 

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