SCIFER

Sounding of the Cleft Ion Fountain Energization Region (SCIFER)
Project scientist: P.M. Kintner, University of Cornell, USA
Norwegian co-investigators: A. Egeland & J.A. Holtet, University of Oslo, Norway
Payload integration: NASA
Mechanical construction: NASA
Type of rocket: Black Brant XII (4 stages)
launch site/date: Andøya Rocket Range, January 25, 1995

Sounding of the Cleft Ion Fountain Energization Region (SCIFER)
Project scientist:	P.M. Kintner, University of Cornell, USA
Norwegian co-investigators:	A. Egeland & J.A. Holtet, University of Oslo, Norway
Payload integration:	NASA
Mechanical construction:	NASA
Type of rocket:	Black Brant XII (4 stages)
launch site/date:	Andøya Rocket Range, January 25, 1995

Payload instrumentation (responsible organizations):

Plasma waves and electric field experiment (University of Cornell, USA and University of Oslo, Norway),
SuperThermal Ion Composition Spectrometer, STICS (Marshall Space Flight Centre, (MSFC/NASA)),
Hemispherical Electrostatic Particle Spectrometers, HEEPS (University of New Hampshire),
B-field Electrostatic Particle Spectrometer (ions), BEEPS (University of New Hampshire),
Thermal Capped Hemisphere Spectrometer (MSFC).

In addition ground-based measurements from Svalbard played an important role in the project.
Responsible organizations: University of Alaska and University of Oslo.

The main scientific objective of the SCIFER project was to study the energization and outflow of ionospheric plasma in the dayside cusp/cleft region, which is believed to be the most important ionospheric ion source for the magnetosphere. The aim was:

to document the electron and ion plasmas of the cusp/cleft ionosphere, including surrounding polar wind outflows,
to determine the adequacy of frictional heating to deliver the observed upwelling plasma flux,
to determine the role of electron heating and pressure distribution in plasma energization and outflow,
to determine the role of Birkeland currents, including collective effects and instabilities, in plasma heating and energetics,
to determine the role of plasma waves in energy transfer, inheating and plasma outflow.

Sketch of the SCIFER payload
[Full size: 18.8 kB GIF]

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