SuperSID - a small-version AWESOME for educational and research use By Deborah Scherrer Tim Huynh Stanford University Solar Center 1
What I am going to talk about What is this project? What can the instrument do, and not do SuperSID data Tracking solar phenomena SuperSID research Obtaining instruments 2
The Project Built upon previous SID - inexpensive space weather monitoring instruments for high schools Development funded by NSF Center for Integrated Space Weather Modeling Distribution funded by NASA International Heliophysical Year 350 distributed worldwide Enhanced capabilities may complement AWESOME research 3
World SID & AWESOME Sites Space Weather Monitor Sites IHY Distribution 2007-2009 2 Germany USA China Mexico Ethiopia Nigeria AWESOME research monitors (26) SID student monitors (300) Larger dots indicate multiple sites Lebanon USA Romania Thailand 4
Centralized Data Repository Hosted at Stanford Accessible to anyone with internet Sites ftp data (software provided) Data available to all and valuable to solar & ionospheric researchers http://sid.stanford.edu sid.stanford.edu/database-browserbrowser 5
Package includes extensive educational resources Manual, installation CD, presentations, etc. Curriculum Guide Research Guide 6
SuperSID Instruments Simple VLF radio receivers that track same VLF transmissions that AWESOME does Similar to AWESOME although smaller sampling rate, less sensitive Relies on computer sound card to handle sampling Narrowband data only Inexpensive (~$50) Designed to primarily track solar- induced changes to the ionosphere, but adaptable to other ionospheric phenomena as well 7
SuperSID takes 96000 samples/sec, calculates the spectrum, extracts the signal strength at interesting frequencies (~5-7 7 data points), then drops the 96000 samples in the buffer (to save disk space and hard drive, because SuperSIDs run continuously for months). SuperSID Data Once every 5 seconds, SuperSID samples and saves signal strength for each interesting transmitter SuperSID receives VLF signals from multiple transmitters, as does AWESOME 8
SuperSID Data Sampling We are completing a "supersid_recording" supersid_recording" " capability which will keep data as wished. Thus users could store data to examine for whistlers, solar flares, aurora, gamma ray bursts, or unusual fluctuations on the spectrum. We are also adding the capability to display spectrum plots. 9
Keeping Time AWESOMEs use GPS for time stamps SuperSIDs use the system clock However, some high-end audio cards have trigger inputs that could be synchronized with an external clock (GPS) One could also expand SuperSID capabilities to work with National Instrument boards (needs additional ~$300). This would not be difficult to add. 10
SuperSID vs. AWESOME AWESOME 's hardware is superior to SuperSID,, but is costly SuperSID is inexpensive and suitable for enhancing an AWESOME network or for use as educational instruments in high schools and universities SuperSID software taps into several important open sources (e.g. Python, MatPlotLib) for numerical analysis, graphics, and networking making it inexpensive and extensible for academic environments. 11
Site Requirements SuperSID consists of a preamp, an antenna, plus a computer with sound card Access to power PC with 1 ghz CPU, 128 meg RAM, CD reader, MS Windows (W2000 or newer) or Linux operating system HD (96kHz) sound card desirable but will work in Europe, Asia, Africa with 48 khz Simple antenna Relatively quiet site (but not as quiet as needed for AWESOME) 12
Normal 24 Hr. Data (No flares) Data from a single transmitter 3 2.5 2 Local Noon 1.5 1 0.5 0 05:27:50 06:03:18 06:38:46 07:00:03 07:35:31 08:10:59 08:46:27 09:21:56 09:57:24 10:32:52 11:08:20 11:43:48 12:19:16 12:54:44 13:30:12 14:05:40 14:41:08 15:16:36 15:52:04 16:27:32 17:03:00 17:38:28 18:13:56 18:49:24 19:24:53 20:00:21 20:35:49 21:11:17 21:46:45 22:22:13 22:57:41 23:33:09 00:08:37 00:44:05 01:19:33 01:55:01 02:30:29 03:05:57 03:41:25 04:16:53 04:52:21 Time in UT 13 Nighttime Sunrise Daytime Colors and labels added Sunset Nighttime
Data indications of solar flares Unlike AWESOME, the SuperSIDs usually detect flares as an increase in signal strength GOES-12 weather satellite detects X-rays X directly from Sun 14
Solar Flare Detection 7 sites picked up this flare M2.8 class solar flare on 1 June 2007 Note that 2 sites picked up the flare as a decrease, rather than increase, in signal strength. This is due to destructive interference of the VLF waves. Problem very little solar activity in last 2 years because of long minimum in solar cycle 15
Flares can be tracked back to the solar active region that produced them #Event Begin Max End Obs Q Type Loc/Frq Particulars Reg# #------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1960 + 1727 1736 1744 G12 5 XRA 1-8A C4.5 3.1E-03 0424 1990 + 1930 1946 1954 G12 5 XRA 1-8A C5.9 5.9E-03 0424 2000 + 2112 2134 2140 G12 5 XRA 1-8A C3.8 3.1E-03 0424 2040 + 2341 2354 0002 G12 5 XRA 1-8A M1.3 8.5E-03 0424 16
and even tracked back to Active region 0424 the Farside (backside) of Sun Farside data from the MDI instrument on board NASA/ESA s SOlar & Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) spacecraft 17
How does the Sun affect the ionosphere & magnetosphere? Through normal day- night ionization Through solar flares Through the solar wind Through coronal mass ejections (CMEs) The solar cycle affects all these 18
Day- Night Ionization During the daytime, the Sun ionizes the F and E layers, and creates the D layer. Hence, during the day, VLF waves bounce off the E layer but lose energy penetrating the D layer. The VLF signal is weakened. During the nighttime, when the Sun is down, cosmic rays ionize only the F layer. Hence, at night, VLF waves bounce off the F layer. Produces good, strong VLF signal. 19
Solar Flares disrupt this normal pattern Solar flare consists of X-X ray and UV energy This high energy ionizes the D layer VLF waves now bounce off D, without losing energy penetrating through the D layer Produces stronger VLF signal 20
Day, night, and flares changing ionization Day Weak VLF signal energy lost while transitting D layer Night Strong VLF signal Solar Flare (daytime) Strong VLF signal 21
Solar Flares When magnetic fields associated with Active Regions erupt through the Sun s surface, then tangle, disconnect, and reconnect, they can release solar flares bright in EUV, X-rays, X and particle radiation. Solar flares affect the Earth s ionosphere Huge flare of 28 October 2003 Speckles are high energy particles hitting the CCD 22
What causes solar flares? Caveat: according to current understanding Magnetic field lines poke through the solar surface, producing sunspots. The field lines tangle and disconnect, producting Coronal Mass Ejections. When the field lines reconnect, energy is transferred to the surface and a flare may appear. 23
High energy particles accelerated in the Sun s corona Solar Wind Escape through coronal holes Travel time to Earth is 2-42 4 days 24
The solar wind carries magnetic fields and shapes Earth s magnetosphere During changes in solar wind (e.g. a corotating interaction region, CIR, substorm) ) the dynamic pressure increases or decreases. The magnetosphere becomes compressed or expanded and magnetic field magnitude increases or decreases 25
Coronal Mass Ejections affect Ejection of billions of tons of plasma and high energy particles from Sun s corona. Usually travel with a magnetic field. Their impact on Earth is determined by the direction of the magnetic field they carry. Travel time is 2-4 days magnetosphere 26
The Earth s magnetosphere is buffeted during a solar storm Red bar through Earth indicates orientation of the Earth s magnetic field. Grey Contours show the changing shape of the magnetosphere. On the upper left is an arrow ( Pram showing the intensity of the ejetion. On the lower left a small compass indicates the direction and strength of the magnetic field. Colors tell how much plasma is present red indicating a high density & blue low. As the simulation starts, the field is relatively normal. As the Earth becomes bombarded by the CMD, the field turns almost completely red. 27
Solar Activity and VLF The increased relativistic electron fluxes in the outer radiation belt are associated with enhanced geomagnetic activity enhanced chorus (VLF) wave activity These may be produced by resonant interactions with enhanced whistler-mode chorus emissions. 28
Solar output changes with the sunspot cycle Sun is brighter when there are more spots (cause of faculae - bright areas around spots) Image enhanced and artificially colored Also more X-rays X and EUV Irradiance Affects Earth s atmosphere Sunspot Number 29
Current Solar Cycle 30
Sample Research Projects Sunrise/sunset phenomena & changes over time, season, latitude, distance from transmitter, site, weather, etc. Identifying solar flares, tracking back to Sun, perhaps predicting Antenna design Unusual events thunderstorms, meteor showers, CMEs, GRBs, planetary waves, earthquakes Electrical interference Eclipses Correlation with local events (e.g. photovoltaic power plant increases associated with flares, local hospital admissions, etc.) 31
Thunderstorms Thunderstorms detected by German students (with a short distance between the transmitter, DHO, and school) 32
Student Research -- Do flares influence photovoltaic solar power plants? Solar flare Data from Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-Gymnasium at Bergen/Rugen, Germany Students compared X-ray flares with power from 2 local photovoltaic plants for 26 larger X-ray flares in the period May to August 2007. An increase of about 1% photovoltaic output was detected on days with solar flares! Photovoltaic plant at Kassel, Germany 33
Ionospheric Research December 2007 Nighttime Dawn Planetary waves? Dusk Transmitter maintenance outtages Summer solstice Missing data 1 June Solar Flares January 2007 UT Time UT (00-24) Time One year of SID data, collected by 34 Don Rice, solar researcher
Obtaining Instruments Distribution through the Society of Amateur Radio Astronomers (SARA) What SuperSID distribution PCI Sound card 96 khz sample rate (or provide this yourself) Cost $48 (assembled) $40 (optional) Send email to supersid@radio-astronomy.org astronomy.org Antenna wire (120 meters) (or you can provide this yourself) RG 58 Coax Cable (9 meters) (or provide this yourself) $23 (optional) $14 (optional) Shipping US $10 Canada & Mexico $25 all other $40+ Current costs but subject to change! 35
What are your questions? Thank You 36