Širokopásmový vlnový analyzátor
TARANIS IME-HF
Project duration: 2006 to 2017
Project manager: Ondřej Santolík
TARANIS (Tool for the Analysis of RAdiations from lightNIng and Sprites) is a scientific micro-satellite of the French space agency CNES based on the MYRIADE series spacecraft platform. Its lunch on a Sun synchronous polar orbit at 700 km altitude is planned for the end of 2017. TARANIS will study radiation from atmospheric lightning discharges and from optical phenomena (Transient Luminous Events) observed between the Earth troposphere and ionosphere (blue jets, red sprites, halos, elves). TARANIS will also investigate terrestrial gamma ray flashes (TGF) which are probably related to the acceleration of electrons to high energies. Simultaneous measurements of the electromagnetic radiation from very low frequencies up to 37 MHz, optical radiation, X-rays, and energetic electrons will extend our knowledge about these processes which are still not fully understood.
The IME-HF instrument (Instrument de Mesure du Champ Electrique Haute Fréquence) will record detailed waveform measurements of fluctuating electric fields in the frequency range from a few kHz up to 37 MHz. The instrument consists of two parts. The sensors - deployable electric antennas with preamplifiers – are developed in the LPC2E laboratory (Laboratoire de Physique et Chimie de l‘Environnement et de l‘Espace) in Orléans, France. These sensors are connected to a broadband analyzer which has been developed at IAP since the beginning of the project since 2006. The analyzer processes received signals at a sampling frequency of 80 MHz, controls operational modes of the instrument, and communicates with spacecraft telemetry system. The instrument will be able to trigger and record interesting intervals of data using a flexible event detection algorithm.
Institute of Atmospheric Physics (IAP) CAS
IAP has a long experience with development and building of scientific instruments dedicated to investigations of the Earth ionosphere and magnetosphere. Space activities at IAP started by participation in the INTERKOSMOS program. A series of five MAGION microsatellites were successfully developed, built and operated by a team of scientists and engineers at IAP. Recently, IAP has developed a broadband receiver for the upcoming TARANIS mission of the French space agency, CNES a time domain sampling analyzer for the ESA Solar Orbiter project. The prototype of the multicomponent analyzer for the ESA JUICE project is being prepared. IAP operates a spacecraft telemetry station which is now used to receive data from the ESA Cluster mission. IAP also participates in analysis and scientific interpretation of data from several spacecraft missions (DEMETER, Cluster, Double Star, Stereo, Themis, Cassini, and Van Allen Probes). IAP is active in research of space plasmas in the Earth ionosphere and magnetosphere, in the vicinity of planets of the Solar system, and in the solar wind.
What would you name as main benefits?
“Our participation in the project induced a new topic of our scientific research: investigation of electromagnetic radiation from lightning discharges. Another important aspect of this project is the continuation of international cooperation with the scientific laboratory LPC2E, as well as cooperation with new scientific and industrial subjects. We also closely cooperate with a team at MFF UK led by Assoc. Prof. Přech, developing electron spectrometer IDEE in cooperation with IRAP (Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et Planétologie). In the frame of the project, we have installed prototypes of the IME-HF analyzer on Plateau d’Albion in southern France and on the northern cap of the Corsica Island. These fast ground based measurements allow us to investigate processes occurring inside thunderclouds which accessible to optical observations. We have already obtained interesting results on lighting initiation processes. The data are also useful for long-term tests of our spacecraft instrumentation with signals generated by natural lightning discharges. After the launch of the TARANIS spacecraft these measurements will be used as a ground-based counterpart to our satellite data."