[P-EM15] Study of coupling processes in solar-terrestrial system

[PEM15-P06] Japan's Activities for the EISCAT_3D Project

*Yasunobu Ogawa^1,2, Hiroshi Miyaoka¹, Satonori Nozawa³, Taishi Hashimoto^1,2, Shin-ichiro Oyama³, Koji Nishimura⁴, Takuo T. Tsuda⁵, Hitoshi Fujiwara⁶, Masaki Tsutsumi^1,2, Yoshimasa Tanaka^1,2, Takanori Nishiyama^1,2, Mizuki Fukizawa¹, Yoshizumi Miyoshi³, Keisuke Hosokawa⁵, Takuji Nakamura^1,2, Ryoichi Fujii⁷ (1.National Institute of Polar Research, 2.The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, 3.Institute for Space-Earth Environmental Research, Nagoya University, 4.Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere, Kyoto University, 5.The University of Electro-Communications, 6.Seikei University, 7.Research Organization of Information and Systems)

Keywords:Incoherent scatter radar, Space weather, Arctic

The European Incoherent Scatter (EISCAT) Scientific Association started construction of the first stage of the EISCAT_3D radar in September 2017 under international collaboration. The EISCAT_3D radar is expected to be operational in 2023. At the first stage, a core site (Skibotn) with a transmission power of about 4-5 MW and two receive-only remote sites (Kaiseniemi and Karesuvanto) will be operated. The ground preparation for the three sites is in progress, and each radar unit has been installed at the sites in 2022-2023. The EISCAT_3D radar will be utilized for a variety of science cases, including study on energy and mass transport from the solar wind and magnetosphere to the ionosphere and atmosphere.
The National Institute of Polar Research (NIPR) had been contributing to the EISCAT_3D construction by supplying radar transmitter power amplifiers (SSPAs) in collaboration with the EISCAT scientific association and ISEE, Nagoya University. The high energy-efficient SSPAs have been used for engineering verification tests at the EISCAT Tromsoe and Kiruna sites since 2016. In February 2020, NIPR has concluded an MoU with EISCAT to supply in-kind Subarray Transmitter Units which are selected for the first stage by the EISCAT Headquarters through the international tendering process. In addition to these contributions to the EISCAT_3D construction, NIPR established the Advanced Radar Research Promotion Center in April 2022. The Center has several NIPR staff and visiting researchers who are working towards the joint usage and collaborative research of the EISCAT_3D radar.
In this paper, we report and discuss the prospects of Japan's activities for the EISCAT_3D project.