Abstract Recently the U. S. National Science Foundation and NASA have begun support of a long duration balloon-borne experiment to study electrical properties of the upper atmosphere. This research project titled EMA (Electrodynamics of the Middle Atmopshere) involves the design of a microprocessor controlled payload and the launch of up to eight small superpressure balloons during 1982 through early 1984. The primary payload instrument will measure the vector electric field from DC to 10 kHz and the payloads will include instruments to measure local ionization, electrical conductivity, magnetic field, pressure and temperature fluctuations and to record optical lightning. Measurement of these parameters in the stratosphere from a few balloons simultaneously for periods extending over a few solar rotations will enable us to study (1) electrical coupling between the atmosphere and magnetosphere, (2) global current systems, (3) global response to solar flares and magnetospheric storms and many other outstanding problems. In order to obtain long duration flights, it is necessary to fly in the southern hemisphere where the balloons are expected to circle the globe dozens of times in their lifetimes. Thus the balloons will be out of direct communication with any one ground station most of the time so the telemetry will be relayed via satellite. This severely limits the data rates resulting in the need for on-board data processing. This is accomplished through the use of dual microcomputers for data analysis and for telemetry formatting. This talk will concentrate on a description of our payload design as driven by the scientific requirements. Examples of the types of electric field signatures we expect to be able to distinguish will also be presented.


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    Title :

    Electrodynamics of the stratosphere using 5000 m3 superpressure balloons


    Contributors:

    Published in:

    Publication date :

    1983-01-01


    Size :

    8 pages




    Type of media :

    Article (Journal)


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English




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