[Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS)] Send your name and a message for ERG! Deadline for accepting messages extended [12:00, April 25, 2016 (JST)]

[Japanese ]

Deadline: 12:00, April 25, 2016
(Japan Standard Time)

　　In the early days of space exploration, 1958, the first US satellite Explorer 1 discovered existence of high energy charged particles in geospace by the onboard radiation detector. The observations by subsequent explorers identified that high energy charged particles are distributed in doughnut shape surrounding Earth. This radiative zone is called the Van Allen belts named after the discoverer, Dr. James Van Allen of University of Iowa, US. The Van Allen belts dynamically change their amount of high energy charged particles depending on the solar activity (especially, during geospace storms).

　　However, a large number of high energy charged particles in the Van Allen belts cause failure in electronic devices mounted on spacecraft and disturb accurate measurement of the charged particles inside the belts, therefore, it was very hard to observe the heart of the Van Allen belts. Consequently, the question, “Why, When, Where, and How the high energy particles are generated and lost,” has been an over a half century standing scientific mystery since the discovery of the Van Allen belts.

　　The ERG satellite (ERG: Exploration of energization and Radiation in Geospace) will challenge to reveal this mystery of the Van Allen belts with the most advanced nine science instruments. Since the Van Allen belts are distributed in wide altitude range, the ERG satellite takes a highly elliptical orbit to make comprehensive observations of high energy charged particles and electromagnetic fields in the Van Allen belts. (The apogee and perigee altitudes are about 30,000 km and 300 km, respectively, and the orbital period is about 9 hours.)

　　We would like to take this opportunity to collect your support messages for ERG that is about to leave the Earth toward the exploration to the Van Allen belts. Your messages and names will be printed on the aluminum plates, and these plates are going to be attached on the satellite as a part of the balance weight to commemorate your support to ERG. Now, together with ERG, let’s go out to the exploration of the Van Allen belts that are the last frontier in geospace!

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