Requests for operations with Poker Flat AMISR (PFISR) should be emailed to PI craig.heinselman@sri.com (CC mary.mccready@sri.com) as early as possible. Include experiment purpose, scientific objectives, relevant operating details (dates, hours, optical or geophysical conditions, etc.), and collaborators. If more time is requested than the operating budget allows, these details will help us combine operating modes and share windows to satisfy as many users as possible. A web-based request process is planned for the future.
DOWNLOAD PFISR OPERATIONS SCHEDULE 2007–2008 (Actual operations may vary from scheduled and will be posted as available.)
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FEB2008 PFISR completes year-long International Polar Year (IPY) run. When not running for other experiments, PFISR has operated almost continuously since 01 March 2007 in a low-duty cycle mode. The resulting large dataset, combined with that from the year-long full-power EISCAT Svalbard radar and the biweekly 30 hr runs of the EISCAT Tromsø, Sondrestrom and Millstone Hill radars, provides an unprecedented volume of high-latitude measurements during the IPY. DEC2007 Two special sessions on PFISR initial results at the Fall AGU, including 7 talks and 11 posters with PFISR data. OCT2007 Remaining panels are placed on PFISR, bringing it to full population. Still awaiting word from USAF on transmission testing, so transmitting with only 96 panels while receiving on all 128. JUNE2007 CEDAR Workshop in Santa Fe has special PFISR session, "Poker Flat AMISR: The first six months," as well as "Poker Flat 2007 Winter Campaign" session. JAN2007 Poker Flat AMISR operated 105 hours over 18 nights in support of JOULE II and ROPA rockets. At right, a TMA trail released by 1 of 4 JOULE II rockets in the early morning of 19 January. Real-time AMISR data show the strong auroral precipitation and large eastward ion flow that met launch criteria. MORE> DEC2006 Continued testing and development of real-time displays for support of sounding rockets scheduled for January and February 2007. Operations will be conducted from T. Neil Davis Science Center at Poker Flat Research Range. NOV2006 Full-up testing as directed by USAF for possible interference issues with PAVE PAWS radar operating at Clear Air Force Station near Anderson, Alaska. No issues were observed and official clearance to operate was granted. OCT2006 Two-day conference at Asilomar, near Monterey, California, to coordinate operations and modes for early Poker Flat Radar users, attended by 60 people. Direct interaction with PIs of the upcoming four rocket campaigns produced the operating modes to be used for JOULE II, ROPA, HEX II, and CHARM rockets. SEPT2006 Additional 64 panels installed, bringing the total to 96 (see photo). SUMMER2006 More panels integrated and tested at Menlo Park, prior to shipping to Alaska. APRIL2006 Data from all deployed sites (Poker Flat, Alaska; Jicamarca, Peru; HAARP, Alaska) presented in numerous talks at Ionospheric Interactions Workshop in Santa Fe. MARCH2006 Engineering tests conducted continuously for approximately 2-1/2 weeks, coordinated to occur during the world month run. FEB2006 Although system is not operational, engineering tests are conducted in a mode supporting an optical campaign for Dartmouth College. JAN2006 Installation of permanent power at Poker Flat to be completed.  |
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AMISR is a modular, mobile radar facility that will be used by scientists and students from around the world to conduct studies of the upper atmosphere and to observe space weather events.
SRI International, under a grant from the National Science Foundation, is leading a collaborative effort in the development of AMISR, whose novel modular configuration is designed to allow relative ease of relocation for studying upper atmospheric activity around the globe. Remote operation and electronic beam steering will allow researchers operate and position the radar beam instantaneously to accurately measure rapidly changing space weather events.
When completed, AMISR will consist of three separate radar faces, with each face comprised of 128 building block-like panels over a 30 x 30 meter roughly square surface. AMISR is being constructed in two stages: the first face in Poker Flat, Alaska, has been completed and is already being used for scientific investigations. The remaining two faces are under construction in Resolute Bay, Nunavut, Canada. Future AMISR locations will be determined by a scientific advisory panel. Since each face of AMISR functions independently, AMISR can be deployed in up to three separate locations at the same time.
For additional information about the AMISR project, see the SRI press release.
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| SRI International – Lead design and construction of the facility. Oversee operations and use during design verification tests. |
| Co-investigator institutions include MIT Millstone Hill, University of Alaska, University of Calgary, and University of Saskatchewan. |
| Sanmina-SCI – Manufacture of antenna element units, the basic building blocks of radar panels. |
| VECO Alaska – Oversee design and structural engineering of radar, including panels and support scaffolding. |
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AMISR conceptual drawing with aurora borealis in background. |
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Incoherent scatter radar dish at Sondrestrom Research Facility. 128 kb (.jpg) 2.1 MB (.jpg) |
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Earth's magnetosphere/ionosphere response to the impact of a solar magnetic cloud. MORE > | |
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The magnetic cloud impact described above also intensifies the large-scale voltage measured over the Earth's magnetic pole. MORE > | |
