A space physicist at The University of Texas at Arlington will play a key role in NASA’s Geospace Dynamics Constellation (GDC) mission.
GDC is a coordinated group of satellites that will provide the first direct global measurements of the region of space enveloping earth known as the ionosphere and thermosphere (I-T) region, according to a NASA press release.
Rick Wilder, assistant professor of physics, will be the lead scientist for an instrument known as the Atmospheric Electrodynamics probe for THERmal plasma (AETHER). AETHER will measure electron density and temperature, allowing researchers to describe the complex nature and structure of the ionosphere. The team’s goal is to understand phenomena that contribute to space weather and its effects on human activity.
When solar flares collide with earth’s atmosphere, the exchange of energy can disrupt satellite operations, communication signals and electrical grids. Changes in the density of the ionosphere can interrupt global positioning systems, which affect navigation for a variety of vehicles.
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Image: Rick Wilder, assistant professor of physics, The University of Texas at Arlington (Credit: Randy Gentry / The University of Texas at Arlington)