Convenors: Rich Niciejewski, Tim Killeen and Peter Knoop
Wednesday, June 16 3:25-5:30
The SPARC project is a next generation, web-based collaboratory for space physicists and aeronomers. The project represents a continuation and expansion of the Upper Atmospheric Research Collaboratory (UARC), in which over a six-year period a team of space physicists, computer scientists, and behavioral scientists evolved a suite of collaboration capabilities to provide rich, real-time access to a wide variety of upper atmospheric data and modeling resources. The SPARC project provides access to data sources supplied by 20 different facilities which combine to supply nearly 200 different real-time (or near real-time) data and predictive products. The experimental complement comprises ground-based instruments including the suite of incoherent scatter radars [Sondre Stromfjord, Millstone Hill, Arecibo, EISCAT Tromso, EISCAT Svalbard and Jicamarca], several components of the SuperDARN system, several Digisonde stations, magnetometers, a riometer, and others. Satellite based data sources include GPS beacons for TEC and scintillation measurements, POLAR UVI and VIS imagery for defining the auroral oval boundary, ACE IMF and solar wind measurements, most in real-time. Global current and forecasted ionospheric and thermospheric parameters are determined from operating a nested-grid version of the NCAR TIGCM model, using as input, real-time satellite IMF measurements when available, or ground-based Kp measurements when the satellite feeds are down. Real time model operation is possible by employing multiple nodes of the SGI Power Challenge at the Center for Parallel Computing at The University of Michigan. An AMIE model description is also available from SwRI. The project can be reached by pointing a browser to http://sparc-1.si.umich.edu/sparc/central/page/SPARC .
The proposed workshop will describe to the community the most recent activity within the SPARC program. Topics that will be shared (with possible speakers) include:
We will also share with the community, the proposed direction that SPARC will be taking for the future. This will involve setting new campaign times as well as electronic workshop periods. Since the SPARC software is designed to operate full-time, archival viewing of past campaigns and mid-campaign periods is possible.