Project Title

Collaborative Research: Investigation of deep polar cap dynamics using an autonomous instrument network

Summary

Event Number:
A-108-E
NSF / OPP Award 2032421

Program Director:
Dr. Vladimir Papitashvili

ASC POC/Implementer:
John Rand / Jane Dell

Principal Investigator(s)

Dr. Hyomin Kim
hmkim@njit.edu
New Jersey Institute of Technology
Department of Physics
Newark, New Jersey

Location

Supporting Stations: Special Project
Research Locations: East Antarctic Plateau

Description

The goal of this project is to fabricate, deploy and operate three unmanned AGO-NextGen instrument platforms on the East Antarctic Plateau. Designed to conduct geospace research by measuring magnetic field, radio signals, and auroral activity, these instruments will become part of a spatially extensive ground-based network of instrumentation focused on observing coupled Magnetosphere-Ionosphere (M-I) dynamics in the deep polar cap. The new platforms (designated KAGOs for Korean AGOs) are more compact, easy-to-transport, easy-to-install, next-generation power/instrument versions of the previous generation of AGO platforms. The systems are to be fabricated at the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) and will be outfitted with power systems and deployed by the Korean Polar Research Institute (KOPRI) along the Jang Bogo Station-Dome C ‘K-Route’ traverse route.

Field Season Overview

For the upcoming field season (2024-2025), the project will ship one KAGO platform to Antarctica for one year of on-the-ground testing. The U.S. National Science Foundation managed U.S. Antarctic Program (USAP) will provide cargo shipping support of the NJIT-fabricated portion of this KAGO to Christchurch, New Zealand via Port Hueneme, CA. In Christchurch, KOPRI representatives will pick up the platform from USAP and load it to the KOPRI icebreaker ("Araon") bound for Jang Bogo Station. NJIT is responsible for the fabrication and delivery of the system to Port Hueneme, CA. USAP will ship the KAGO system from Port Hueneme to Christchurch. The NJIT-fabricated portion of this KAGO will then be integrated with its power system by KOPRI team members and deployed in the vicinity of Jang Bogo Station. No USAP-sponsored participants will be deploying.