Expedition 7 home from Antarctica
The seventh Antarctic expedition from the Otago Space Physics group returned to Dunedin on Thursday after a very productive week on the ice Prof. Craig Rodger and Dr. James Brundell left on the scheduled day, and returned to Christchurch only ~5 hours later than planned. They spent almost exactly one week in Antarctica, in an intensive mission to repair the AARDDVARK antenna located near Scott Base. This year the weather was kind, giving them a lot of good quality working time [20 November 2014].
Electron Precipitation Drives Ozone Losses
Energetic electron precipitation (EEP) from the Earth’s outer radiation belt continuously affects the chemical composition of the polar mesosphere. EEP can contribute to catalytic ozone loss in the mesosphere through ionization and enhanced production of odd hydrogen. However, the long-term mesospheric ozone variability caused by EEP has not been quantified or confirmed to date. We recently showed in Nature Communications, using observations from three different satellite instruments, that EEP events strongly affect ozone at 60–80 km, leading to extremely large (up to 90%) short-term ozone depletion. This impact is comparable to that of large, but much less frequent, solar proton events. On solar cycle timescales, we find that EEP causes ozone variations of up to 34% at 70–80 km. With such a magnitude, it is reasonable to suspect that EEP could be an important part of solar influence on the atmosphere and climate system.
The Nature Communications article was the result of a collaboration between the Finnish Meteorological Institute, University of Otago and British Antarctic Survey. The article produced press releases from FMI and Otago University, and lead to a number of articles in news papers, including the Otago Daily Times and the New Zealand Herland. Craig was interviewed on National Radio, which can be listened to online [17 October 2014].
Expedition 7 planning maintenance trip to Antarctica
The seventh Antarctic expedition from the Otago Space Physics group is preparing for their trip South. Prof Craig Rodger is the event manager for Expedition 7, while Dr James Brundell is the event leader (these are the names used by Antarctica New Zealand for the roles we fill). The main goal of our travel is to repair long-term damage to our antenna, which was been in place since December 2008 but has slowly suffered in the high winds at Arrival Heights. The team is currently scheduled to travel to Scott Base on Wednesday 12 November 2017 for a 7-day highly intensive working period. The logistics support, comprising air transport, accommodation, and all other on-ice support is provided through Antarctica New Zealand Event K060.
James and Craig are heading to Scott Base to work on Otago’s AARDDVARK radio receiver which is located at Arrival Heights, not far from Scott Base. They also comprised the Expedition One team who deployed this radio receiver in December 2008; this is James’ 6th visit to Antarctica and Craig’s third. Expedition Seven will also gather high resolution data, undertake calibrations and make VLF radio noise observations. While planning is well underway, both Craig and James have a few other tasks to complete first – Craig leaves to China this Friday and then will travel to Finnish Lapland, while James is currently in Brazil having attended the V Brazilian Symposium on Space Geophysics and Aeronomy & IV Forum for Research and Innovation. Interested? You can read more at this webpage [9 October 2014].
Aaron Hendry wins Claude McCarthy Fellowship
Today we learnt that Space Physics PhD student Aaron Hendry has been awarded a Claude McCarthy Fellowship for 2015. He will use this funding to attend the 26th IUGG General Assembly in Prague and undertake a collaborative visit to the British Antarctic Survey. While at BAS Aaron will work with our long-term collaborator Dr. Mark Clilverd on analysis of AARDDVARK data, finishing off his research into EMIC-driven electron precipitation into the atmosphere. Well done Aaron! [2 October 2014]
Craig Rodger’s Inaugural Professorial Lecture now online
Late last year Craig Rodger learnt he was promoted to full Professor, formally starting in February 2014. In early March he gave his Inaugural Professorial Lecture to a “full house” of colleagues, students, friends, family and the public. After much delay the video of this lecture has finally go online. He tries to give an overview of his research, and why it matters in the “big picture”. You can see the video from the Otago Science Division Podcasts webpage, and it is also to go up at Otago University on iTunesU. Craig really pushed himself hard to make sure it was an active show, and hopes you enjoy the video. [16 September 2014]
Aaron and Craig travel to Beijing
Back in June we learnt that Space Physics PhD student Aaron Hendry had been selected to receive an URSI Young Scientist Award to attend the XXXI URSI General Assembly and Scientific Symposium at the Beijing Convention Center (BCC) in Beijing, China. In mid-August Aaron and Craig Rodger travelled to China to attend this conference. Craig went too as he was co-organising two sessions, had a separate invited talk, a couple of oral presentations and a couple of posters, plus was the official New Zealand delegate. Craig and Aaron took the day off and had a tour of Tiananmen Square in central Beijing, plus travelled out to see the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall of China. [25 August 2014]
Alex and Ian Visit Waihola School
Ian Whittaker and Alex Schwertheim visited Waihola District School and undertook Space Physics outreach activities to the primary school class there. The students, aged between 4 and 11, at this rural school were participants in demonstrations on how big and cold our solar system is. Ian and Alex showed practical demonstrations of how the Sun warms the Earth, how the Moon affects tides on the Earth and the phases of the Moon. The students then were part of a human solar system and saw a demonstration on why astronaut spacesuits are necessary. Ian and Alex were also requested to judge a cake making competition from the students – an activity they were happy to perform! This visit has appeared on the Blog page for Waihola School Room 2, including the students impressions of the activities. [22 August 2014]
Jason wins PhD Scholarship – heading to Europe
Space Physics MSc student Jason Neal has recently won a PhD scholarship to study in Portugal! Jason will be travelling to Porto, and is moving onwards from his Otago Sun-Earth connection research to a new role as an Astronomy PhD student. Jason won one of the 5 PhD scholarships in Porto, coming through in a field of 35 applicants. He will be heading to Portugal very soon, ready for the 15 September start of semester 1; currently, Jason is working on a paper from his MSc, supported by a publication bursary and Space Physics research funds. Of course his wife and new baby son will be going too! [19 July 2014]
Craig and Ian head to Hungary
Last Friday Space Physics group PostDoc Dr Ian Whittaker and Prof. Craig J. Rodger headed to Europe. They travelled to Hungary to take part in the close down meeting of the EU FP7 PLASMON project. The close down meeting was held in the ELTE Professors Klub in Budapest and the Hotel Salgo near Somoskőújfalu (whcih is located just south of the Slovakian boarder). [10 July 2014].
Space Physics Masters Student Submits Thesis
Congratulations to Space Physics MSc student Kathy Cresswell-Moorcock who recently handed in herMSc thesis! The thesis was entitled “Techniques to Determine Quiet Day Curves for Subionospheric VLF Observations”. Kathy’s MSc research was part of our Marsden Funded research project into energetic electron precipitation, and involved determinig the ambient or “background” patterns in subionospheric propagatuion data. She was supported the Marsden Fund [4 July 2014].
Space Physics Masters Student Submits Thesis
Congratulations to Space Physics MSc student Jason Neal who has now handed in his MSc thesis! The thesis was entitled “Long-term Determination of Energetic Electron Precipitation into the Atmosphere Using Subionospheric VLF Perturbations”. Jason’s MSc research was part of our Marsden Funded research project into energetic electron precipitation, and involved extracting precipitation fluxes from AARDDVARK-network observations. He was supported by a University of Otago MSc Scholarship and the Marsden Fund [4 June 2014].
Aaron wins URSI Young Scientist Award, going to Beijing
This morning we learnt that Space Physics PhD student Aaron Hendry has been selected to receive an URSI Young Scientist Award to attend the XXXI URSI General Assembly and Scientific Symposium at the Beijing Convention Center (BCC) in Beijing, China, from 16 to 23 August 2014. This award will cover his registration, accommodation, and food, plus bring him to some social events (the URSI Young Scientists party). Craig is also travelling to this conference in Beijing, as the official New Zealand delegate. Our group has sent staff and students to all the URSI General Assemblies which have occurred for several decades, and Aaron is in a proud line of Young Scientist Award winners from the Otago Space Physics Group. Well done Aaron! [4 June 2014].
James and Craig going back to Canada
This Friday Dr James Brundell and Prof. Craig J. Rodger will be heading to Canada to visit some of the AARDDVARK receiver sites. We will go to St John’s initially, to the AARDDVARK receiver there which is on the site of the St. John’s Magnetic Observatory. After a couple of days working there we will travel to Ottawa (visiting Natural Resources Canada Space Weather Forecast Centre), then Edmonton (Space Physics Group at the University of Alberta). At this point we split up. Craig will head to Calgary (visiting the University of Calgary), while James will leave Canada and go to Seattle (visiting the University of Washington’s Department of Earth and Space Sciences). As part of this trip we will be returning to the Ministik Lake AARDDVARK antenna which has certainly had a very hard life. Since our last visit in July 2013 (see the news bulletin below) the data quality has been pretty good, but it has continued to be a somewhat mid-behaved [15 May 2014].
Space Physics Material launched on the Science Learning Hub
Craig was filmed back in late March 2013 by a team from the New Zealand Science Learning Hub, who were putting together a new resource called “Gases and Plasmas“. The Science Learning Hub provides resources for teachers of school years 2-10 and is funded by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. The Gases and Plasmas context includes multiple content from the Space Physics group, including radiation belt and space weather research, Red Sprites, our WWLLN lightning research, and overviews on plasmas and studying Physics. And more, actually [29 April 2014].
Ian and Aaron off on seperate overseas trips
Last Friday (25 April 2014) Space Physics group PostDoc Dr Ian Whittaker left from Auckland airport to attend the European Geosciences Union General Assembly 2014 in Vienna (17 April -2 May). Ian will be travelling in Europe after the meeting, including in Switzerland and the UK. The next day Space Physics PhD student Aaron Hendry left from Auckland airport to attend the Japan Geoscience Union Meeting 2014 in Yokohama (28 April – 2 May), after which he will travel in Japan. Both are giving oral presentations at these major conferences. Busy times for the group! [27 April 2014].
Mark Clilverd joins us for more than 3 months
Each year Mark Clilverd from the British Antarctic Survey comes to visit the Otago Space Physics group – this very long-standing collaboration has produced a lot of science, and influenced a lot of student projects. This year Mark came to Dunedin for more than 3 months, having a sabbatical” in our group. All of the Space Physics group, staff and students, worked alongside Mark in this time period – a bunch of our scientific questions have been clarified. But now Mark is heading homewards, leaving us on Monday next week [7 April 2014].
SCOSTEP launches the VarSITI programme
Scientific Committee on Solar Terrestrial Physics (SCOSTEP) launched its new scientific program VarSITI (Variability of the Sun and Its Terrestrial Impact) on Monday 13 January 2014. VarSITI is an international interdisciplinary research program that will run for next five years. The VarSITI program is established after a collective effort by the international scientific community over the past year. It will focus on four major themes: solar magnetism and extreme events, Earth impacting solar transients, magnetospheric changes, and consequences and processes in Earth’s atmosphere. In order to make progress on these themes, four scientific projects have been defined, which are headed by international experts.
One of the 4 projects inside the VarSITI programme is SPeCIMEN (Specification and Prediction of the Coupled Inner-Magnetospheric Environment), which is lead by Otago academic Assoc. Prof. Craig J. Rodger and UCLA-researcher Dr. Jacob Bortnik. More details at the VarSITI website, the SCOSTEP website, or from this YouTube movie associated with the VarSITI programme launch [13 January 2014].
Craig Rodger promoted to Professor!
Late in 2013 the University of Otago annouced that two Physics Department staff were being promoted to Professor, included Craig Rodger. The full details on their promotions and the other Otago staff joining them in their new role can be found in the University Media Release [23 December 2013].
Expedition 6 home from Antarctica
The sixth Antarctic expedition from the Otago Space Physics group returned to Dunedin on Sunday after a cold time. While Dr. James Brundell and Space Physics PhD student Aaron Hendry. While theywere expected to come back to New Zealand on the Wednesday before, a series of weather-related delays kept them on the ice for several extra days. Nonetheless, they made it home, safe and well. Craig received a text message confirming this as he, Kathy and Jason were taking the train away from Najoya airport, Japan (see previous item) [17 November 2013].
Jason, Kathy, and Craig off to Japan
Tomorrow a group of us leave Dunedin, heading for the International CAWSES-II Symposium in Nagoya, Japan. Space Physics MSc students Kathy Cresswell-Moorcock and Jason Neal along with Assoc. Prof. Craig Rodger have multiple presentations to give over the 5-day meeting. Jason and Kathy have not been out of New Zealand before, so this is a very exciting opportunity [14 November 2013].
Expedition 6 wind-blown in Antarctica
The sixth Antarctic expedition from the Otago Space Physics group are currently working in and around Scott Base. This year our team has gone south earlier than normal, at the request of Antarctica New Zealand. This has produced some new challenges for the team, with colder temperatures and higher winds up around the New Zealand lab at Arrival Heights where our experiment is located. The picture below shows Space Physics PhD student Aaron Hendry beside our experiments antenna during an inspection of the equipment undertaken today. Dr James Brundell, the event leader, and Aaron have achieved quite a few of the primary goals, and will likely be returning to New Zealand this Thursday, just one day later than originally planned [11 November 2013]
Expedition 6 prepares to depart for Antarctica
The sixth Antarctic expedition from the Otago Space Physics group is preparing for their trip South. Dr James Brundell, the event leader, has been preparing with Space Physics PhD student Aaron Hendry. They will be testing new monitoring equipment as we investigate the possibility of new recording sites around Ross Island. The team is scheduled to travel to Scott Base on Monday 4 November 2013 for a ten-day intensive working period. The logistics support, comprising air transport, accommodation, and all other on-ice support is provided through Antarctica New Zealand Event K060.
James and Aaron are heading to Scott Base to work on Otago’s AARDDVARK radio receiver which is located at Arrival Heights, not far from Scott Base. James was one of the two man Space Physics team who deployed this radio receiver in December 2008, and has returned multiple times since. The main aim for Expedition 6 is check the VLF radio noise for sites near Scott Base, in case we need to move from our existing recording site near New Zealand lab at Arrival Heights. James and Aaron will also gather high resolution data and undertake calibrations and physical maintenance of the experiment. Interested? You can read more at this webpage [29 October 2013].
James and Craig heading for North America
This Friday Dr James Brundell and Assoc. Prof. Craig J. Rodger will be heading to Canada and Seattle to visit some of the AARDDVARK receiver sites. We will go to Ottawa initially (visiting Natural Resources Canada Space Weather Forecast Centre), then Edmonton (Space Physics Group at the University of Alberta) and finally fly south to Seattle (visiting the University of Washington’s Department of Earth and Space Sciences). As part of this trip we will be returning to the Ministik Lake AARDDVARK antenna which has certainly had a very hardlife. Since November it has mostly behaved, and we hope to find it in good conition [24 July 2013].
Our SPeCIMEN plan for SCOSTEP accepted!
Scientific Committee on Solar Terrestrial Physics (SCOSTEP) is an interdisciplinary body of the International Council for Science (ICSU). SCOSTEP runs international interdisciplinary scientific programs and promotes solar-terrestrial physics research. We recently helped prepare a white paper to submit to SCOSTEP, suggesting a project for their 2014-2018 Science Programme. Our project was named SPeCIMEN: Specification and Prediction of the Coupled Inner Magnetospheric Environment.
After a panel meeting in Bern, Switzerland, SCOSTEP selected our project to be one of the 3 core SCOSTEP programmes which will run in that 5-year period. Assoc. Prof. Craig J. Rodger is part of the Executive Committee which will oversee this project. He also supported the preperation of another white paper which was combined with others to produce another project for SCOSTEP’s plan, ROSMIC: Role of the Sun and the Middle Atmosphere/Thermosphere/Ionosphere in Climate.
We are thrilled to hear SCOSTEP recognises the importance of our scientfic directions, and the new collaborations this will spark [14 May 2013].
Space Physics Honours Student Graduates
Congratulations to Space Physics graduate research student Jason Neal who graduated at the University of Otago ceremony on Saturday 4 May. Jason passed across to the stage to have his Bachelor of Science with Honours conferred, awarded in Physics at a First Class Level. It was a great day! [4 May 2013].
Mark Clilverd visiting us again from the British Antarctic Survey
Our long term collaborator, British Antarctic Survey scientist Dr Mark Clilverd, has arrived in Dunedin to work with all the members of the group. Mark has come to Dunedin for a 2 week visit to finish off a couple of papers on the measurement of radiation belt precipitation, but also to interact with the research students [18 April 2013].