• Journal of Space Technology and Applications
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.241-255
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• 2021

Space observation data includes research data such as stars, galaxies, Sun, space plasma, planets, and minor bodies observed through space missions, including processing and utilizing the observation data. Astronomy and space science observation systems are getting larger, and space mission opportunities and data size are increasing. Accordingly, the need for systematic and efficient management of space observation data is growing. Therefore, in Korea, a strategy and policy for space observation data should be established. As a stage of preparation, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)'s data strategy, which developed from extensive understanding and long-term experience for space observation data, was analyzed. Based on the analysis results, we propose a strategic direction and 10 recommendations for Korean space observation data strategies that will be the basis for establishing space observation data policies in the future.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.95-104
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• 2020

Properties of plasmas that constitute the plasma sheet in the near-Earth magnetotail vary according to the solar wind conditions and location in the tail. In this case study, we present multi-spacecraft observations by Cluster that show a transition of plasma sheet from cold, dense to hot, tenuous state. The transition was associated with the passage of a spatial boundary that separates the plasma sheet into two regions with cold, dense and hot, tenuous plasmas. Ion phase space distributions show that the cold, dense ions have a Kappa distribution while the hot, tenuous ions have a Maxwellian distribution, implying that they have different origins or are produced by different thermalization processes. The transition boundary separated the plasma sheet in the dawn-dusk direction, and slowly moved toward the dawn flank. The hot, tenuous plasmas filled the central region while the cold, dense plasmas filled the outer region. The hot, tenuous plasmas were moving toward the Earth, pushing the cold, dense plasmas toward the flank. Different types of dynamical processes can be generated in each region, which can affect the development of geomagnetic activities.

• Bulletin of the Korean Space Science Society
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• 2011.04a
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• pp.26.3-27
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• 2011

Formation of a steep plasma density gradient in the middle-latitude ionosphere during geomagnetic storms and the latitudinal migration of its location depending on the storm phase are suggested to be associated with the ionospheric signature of the plasmapause. We test this idea by using the satellite and ground observation data during the 11 April 2001 storm. The locations of the steep plasma density gradient identified by TOPEX/Poseidon (2001 LT) and DMSP (1800 and 2130 LT) satellites coincide with the ionospheric footprints of the plasmapause identified by the IMAGE satellite. This observation may support the dependence of the middle-latitude plasma density gradient location on the plasmapause motion, but does not explain why the steep density gradient whose morphology is largely different from the morphology of the middle-latitude ionization trough during quiet period is formed in association with the plasmapause. The ionospheric disturbances in the total electron content (TEC) maps shows that the steep TEC gradient is formed at the boundary of the positive ionospheric storm in low-middle latitudes and the negative ionospheric storm in middle-high latitudes. We interpret that the thermospheric neutral composition disturbance in the dayside is confined within the middle-high latitude ionospheric convection zone. The neutral composition latitudes and, therefore, the locations of the steep plasma density gradient coincide with the footprints of the plasmapause. The TEC maps show that the appearance of the steep plasma density gradient in the pre-midnight sector during the recovery phase is related to the co-rotation of the gradient that is created during the main phase.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.85-94
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• 2020

Equatorial noise, also known magnetosonic waves (MSWs), are one of the frequently observed plasma waves in Earth's inner magnetosphere. Observations have shown that wave amplitudes maximize at the magnetic equator with a narrow extent in their latitudinal distribution. It has been understood that waves are generated from an equatorial source region and confined within a few degrees magnetic latitude. The present study investigates whether the MSW instability and saturation amplitudes maximize at the equator, given an energetic proton ring-like distribution derived from an observed wave event, and using linear instability analysis and particle-in-cell simulations with the plasma conditions at different latitudes along the dipole magnetic field line. The results show that waves initially grow fastest (i.e., with the largest growth rate) at high latitude (20°-25°), but consistent with observations, their saturation amplitudes maximize within ±10° latitude. On the other hand, the slope of the saturation amplitudes versus latitude revealed in the present study is not as steep as what the previous statistical observation results suggest. This may be indicative of some other factors not considered in the present analyses at play, such as background magnetic field and plasma inhomogeneities and the propagation effect.

• Bulletin of the Korean Space Science Society
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• 2008.10a
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• pp.31.1-31.1
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• 2008

While some observations in the geomagnetic tail region supported electrons could be accelerated by reconnection processes, we still need more observation data to confirm electron acceleration in this region. Because most acceleration processes accompany strong pitch angle diffusion, if the electrons were accelerated in this region, strong energetic electron precipitation should be observed near earth on aurora oval. Even though there are several low altitude satellites observing electron precipitation, intense and small scale precipitation events have not been identified successfully. In this presentation, we will show an observation of strong energetic electron precipitation that might be analyzed by relativistic electron acceleration in the confined region. This event was observed by low altitude Korean STSAT-1, where intense several hundred keV electron precipitation was seen simultaneously with 10 keV electrons during storm time. In addition, we observed large magnetic field fluctuations and an ionospheric plasma depletion with FUV aurora emissions. Our observation implies relativistic electrons can be generated in the small area where Fermi acceleration might work.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.83-92
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• 2018

The summer polar lower thermosphere (90-100 km) has an interesting connection to meteors, adjacent to the mesopause region attaining the lowest temperature in summer. Meteors supply condensation nuclei for charged ice particles causing polar mesospheric summer echoes (PMSE). We report the observation of meteor trail with nearly horizontal transit at high speed (20-50 km/s), and at last with re-enhanced echo power followed by diffusive echoes. Changes in phase difference between radar receivers aligned in meridional and zonal directions are used to determine variations in horizontal displacements and speeds with respect to time by taking advantage of radar interferometric analysis. The actual transit of echo target is observed along the straight pathway vertically and horizontally extended as much as a distance of at least 24 km and at most 29 km. The meteor trail initially has a signature similar to 'head echoes', with travel speeds from 20 - 50 km/s. It subsequently transforms into a different type of echo target including specular echo and then finally the power reenhanced. The reenhancement of echo power is followed by fume-like diffusive echoes, indicating sudden release of plasma as like explosive process probably involved. We discuss a possible role of meteor-triggered secondary plasma trail, such as fireball embedded with electrical discharge that continuously varies the power and transit speed.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.39.3-40
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• 2020

For the space weather research, KASI (Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute) is developing the SNIPE (Small-scale magNetospheric and Ionospheric Plasma Experiment) mission, which consists of four 6U CubeSats of ~10 kg. Besides of space weather research, the SNIPE mission has another astrophysical objective, detecting Gamma-Ray Bursts(GRB). By cross-correlating the light curves of the detected GRBs, the fleet shall be able to determine the time difference of the arriving signal between the satellites and thus determine the position of bright short bursts with an accuracy ~100'. To demonstrate the technology of the GRB observation, CSI gamma-ray detectors combined with GPS and IRIDIUM communication modules are placed on each SNIPE CubeSat. The time of each spacecraft is synchronized and when the GRB is detected, the light curve will be transferred to the Mission Operation Center (MOC) by IRIDIUM communication module. By measuring time difference of each GRB signals, the technology for localization of GRB will be proved. If the results show some possibilities, we can challenge the new astrophysical mission for investigating the origin of GRB.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.66.3-67
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• 2015

Without scrutinizing reflection, the plasma comprising a coronal loop is usually regarded to reside within a flux rope. This picture seems to have been adopted from laboratory plasma pinches, in which a plasma of high density and pressure is confined in the vicinity of the flux rope axis by magnetic tension and magnetic pressure of the concave inward magnetic field. Such a configuration, in which the plasma pressure gradient and the field line curvature vector are almost parallel, however, is known to be vulnerable to ballooning instabilities (to which belong interchange instabilities as a subset). In coronal loops, however, ideal MHD (magnetohydrodynamic) ballooning instabilities are impeded by a very small field line curvature and the line-tying condition. We, therefore, focus on non-ideal (resistive) effects in this study. The footpoints of coronal loops are constantly under random motions of convective scales, which twist individual loop strands quite randomly. The loop strands with the axial current of the same direction tend to coalesce by magnetic reconnection. In this reconnection process, the plasma in the loop system is redistributed in such a way that a smaller potential energy of the system is attained. We have performed numerical MHD simulations to investigate the plasma redistribution in coalescence of many small flux ropes. Our results clearly show that the redistributed plasma is more accumulated between flux ropes rather than near the magnetic axes of flux ropes. The Joule heating, however, creates a different temperature distribution than the density distribution. Our study may give a hint of which part of magnetic field we are looking to in an observation.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.88.1-88.1
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• 2013

We have investigated vertical motions of plasma in the pores and changes of the motions with height by using high time and spatial resolutions data obtained by the Fast Imaging Solar Spectrograph (FISS) of the 1.6 meter New Solar Telescope (NST). We infer the LOS velocity by applying the bisector method to the wings of CaII 854.2 nm line profile. We find that (1) upflow velocity in the pores decreases with height and turns into downward in the upper chromosphere; (2) 3 min and 5 min oscillations are found from the Doppler velocity in the pore at various wavelengths from the wing (${\pm}2.35{\AA}$) to the core (${\pm}1.25{\AA}$) of the CaII line; and (3) power of high (low) frequency oscillation obtained from the CaII intensity increases (decreases) with height. We discuss the physical implications of our results in view of the connection of LOS plasma flows in a concentrated magnetic flux (pore) between the photosphere and the low chromosphere.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.40.3-41
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• 2017

Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute The observation of particles and waves using a single satellite inherently suffers from space-time ambiguity. Recently, such ambiguity has often been resolved by multi-satellite observations; however, the inter-satellite distances were generally larger than 100 km. Hence, the ambiguity could be resolved only for large-scale (> 100 km) structures while numerous microscale phenomena have been observed at low altitude satellite orbits. In order to resolve those spatial and temporal variations of the microscale plasma structures on the topside ionosphere, SNIPE mission consisted of four (TBD) nanosatellites (~10 kg) will be launched into a polar orbit at an altitude of 700 km (TBD). Two pairs of satellites will be deployed on orbit and the distances between each satellite will be from 10 to 100 km controlled by a formation flying algorithm. The SNIPE mission is equipped with scientific payloads which can measure the following geophysical parameters: density/temperature of cold ionospheric electrons, energetic (~100 keV) electron flux, and magnetic field vectors. All the payloads will have high temporal resolution (~ 16 Hz (TBD)). This mission is planned to launch in 2020. The SNIPE mission aims to elucidate microscale (100 m-10 km) structures in the topside ionosphere (below altitude of 1,000 km), especially the fine-scale morphology of high-energy electron precipitation, cold plasma density/temperature, field-aligned currents, and electromagnetic waves. Hence, the mission will observe microscale structures of the following phenomena in geospace: high-latitude irregularities, such as polar-cap patches; field-aligned currents in the auroral oval; electro-magnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves; hundreds keV electrons' precipitations, such as electron microbursts; subauroral plasma density troughs; and low-latitude plasma irregularities, such as ionospheric blobs and bubbles. We have developed a 6U nanosatellite bus system as the basic platform for the SNIPE mission. Three basic plasma instruments shall be installed on all of each spacecraft, Particle Detector (PD), Langmuir Probe (LP), and Scientific MAGnetometer (SMAG). In addition we now discuss with NASA and JAXA to collaborate with the other payload opportunities into SNIPE mission.