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Mark Clilverd visiting us from the British Antarctic Survey

Our long term collaborator,  British Antarctic Survey scientist Dr Mark Clilverd, has arrived in Dunedin to work with us. Mark will be in Dunedin for the next two weeks or so, are focusing on radiation belt and substorm-driven precipitation studies. Our main goals for Mark's visit is to finish off some research papers and to get Mark working with some of our new research students [18 April 2012].

Recent News

Craig interviewed on National Radio, Twice

Space Physics academic Assoc Prof. Craig Rodger was interviewed on the Morning Report show on New Zealand's National Radio. The interview concerned the X5 solar flare which occurred on 7 March 2012, and the impact of the associated coronal mass ejection. The interview is online on their website [9 March 2012]. The next day Craig was interviewed on Saturday morning with Kim Hill, and this interview is also online [10 March 2012].

Mea interviewed on Radio One

Space Physics PhD student, Dr Mea Simon Wedlund, was interviewed by Radio One 91 FM. This will be broadcast on Wednesday 21 January 2012 from 10am and streamed online. Afterwards it will be available online as well (Mea's interview starts at about 1 hour 15 into the show)! [21 February 2012]

Bonar submits his MSc thesis, heads off to work

Space Physics MSc student, Bonar Carson, submitted his thesis Satellite Observations of EMIC wave driven REP at the end of January. He then headed off to Auckland where he is about to start up a new job with ASB Bank. Well done Bonar! [31 January 2012]

Public Talk at SANSA, South Africa

Last month Assoc. Prof. Craig Rodger gave a public talk at the Space Science Directorate of the South African National Space Agency (SANSA) in Hermanus, South Africa. The talk was entitled And then the Sun went "BANG" and was delivered to a "standing room only" lecture room on the SANSA Space Science site. Craig was visiting Hermanus  for a business meeting of the EU FP7 PLASMON project the week beforehand, and the locals took advantage of the chance to include a Public Talk in his time there. The talk was featured in the local newspaper, the Hermanus Times, and Craig also gave a 45min live radio interview to Whale Coast FM. [30 January 2012] 

Space Physics PostDoc Position Available (Note this is now filled)

The Otago Space Physics group is currently advertising for a Postdoctoral Fellowship position. This is funded through our EU FP7 project (PLASMON) and is a 2-year fixed term position. The project aims to investigate the loss of energetic electrons from the Van Allan radiation belts into the atmosphere and the link to plasmaspheric properties. The position is available from this date, and will remain open until it is filled (the candidate must start at Otago by the middle of 2012).  Applicants should have a PhD in Physics and a demonstrated strength in one of the areas of Space Physics, Ionospheric, Upper Atmospheric and/or Geophysics. For further information, please see the Job Description.  [26 January 2012]

Space Physics Graduation Celebrations

On 17 December 2011 the Space Physics group celebrated the graduation of two of our research students. Former PhD student Dr Rory Gamble and BSc(Hons) student Aaron Hendry walked across the stage of the Regent Theatre, and were formally capped by the Chancellor of Otago University. Congratulations to both the new graduates! [20 December 2011]

Expedition 4 returns

The fourth Antarctic expedition from the Otago Space Physics group returned from the ice last Monday (5 December 2011) after a successful visit. After some weather-related delays, the two man team set off on Monday 28 November 2011, and with hard work managed to complete the primary goals of the expedition in time to fly back only 1 week later.

Dr James Brundell, the event leader, and Mr Peter McCabe, Physics Department Head Technician, replaced a faulty cable for our AARDDVARK radio receiver which is located at Arrival Heights, not far from Scott Base. James designed the original equipment which we installed in December 2008, and has now visited the experiment three times (so far). During their time on the ice they also collected data and undertook measurements of the VLF noise in and around the Arrival Heights area. [8 December 2011]

Peter McCabe and James with the antenna.

Expedition 4 prepares to depart for Antarctica

The fourth Antarctic expedition from the Otago Space Physics group is preparing for their trip South. Dr James Brundell, the event leader, is currently working alongside Mr Peter McCabe, Physics Department Head Technician, to test the experimental equipment they will use on the ice. The team is scheduled to travel to Scott Base on Wednesday 23 November 2011 for a ten-day intensive working period. The logistics support, comprising air transport, accommodation, and all other on-ice support is provided through Antarctica New Zealand Event K060.

James and Peter are heading to Scott Base to work on Otago's AARDDVARK radio receiver which is located at Arrival Heights, not far from Scott Base. James was one of the two man Space Physics team who deployed this radio receiver in December 2008. In the last months the receiver has developed some problems - data is still being collected, but its clear that repairs and maintenance are in order. In addition, Peter and James will undertake measurements of the VLF noise in and around the Arrival Heights area. You can read more at this webpage which describes the trip. [10 November 2011]

Dr Rory Gambles completes PhD, is awarded "Exceptional Thesis"

In late March 2011 Rory Gamble submitted his PhD thesis ("The 17-19 January 2005 Atmospheric Electron Precipitation Event"); last week we had confirmation that his thesis had been accepted following the examination process and that his work is to be placed on the list of Science Division Exceptional PhD Theses. According to the University of Otago Science Division website: "A thesis is of exceptional quality when all three examiners of a candidate's thesis agree that the thesis is of an exceptional standard in every respect – research content, originality, quality of expression and accuracy of presentation – and is amongst the top 10% of theses examined." Congratulations Rory! [3 October 2011] 

Dr Mea Simon Wedlund has arrived to join the group

Dr Mea Simon Wedlund has joined the group to start a PhD with us. Mea has travelled from Europe, having recently completed her first PhD at the Université Pierre et Marie Curie in Paris.  She will now undertake a second PhD with the Otago Space Physics group. Her PhD research will focus on AARDDVARK-measured particle precipitation, and is funded by the New Zealand Marsden fund. [22 September 2011]

AARDDVARK covered on New Zealand's World Space Week website

A story on our AARDDVARK network has been published on the New Zealand website for World Space Week (4-10 October in 211). In the story Assoc Prof. Craig Rodger (University of Otago) explains how New Zealand scientists and a global team are helping monitor space explosions and ozone depletion. Read the Radio AARDDVARK webpage, part of the NZ Space Showcase. [14 September 2011]

Craig Rodger wins Otago Teaching Excellence Award 

On 20 June 2011 it was announced that Associate Professor Craig J. Rodger from the Space Physics group was one of three Otago academics who have received the 2011 University of Otago Teaching Excellence Awards. The three winners were: Dr James Maclaurin (Philosophy), Associate Prof Craig Rodger (Physics), and Mr Tony Zaharic (Biochemistry). Head of the Department of Physics Professor Rob Ballagh commented, “There is no risk of being bored in one of Craig’s lectures. You can be sure it will be lively and energetic, and Craig's enthusiasm rubs off on the students. Craig brings a total commitment to every aspect of his teaching, including lecturing, organisation, and marking. The students greatly appreciate this. We are very lucky to have Craig. He is a great teacher.” More details are available from the University Media Release. [20 June 2011]

Rory Gamble submits PhD, wins Prize!

In late March 2011, PhD candidate and Space Physics student Rory Gamble submitted his PhD thesis ("The 17-19 January 2005 Atmospheric Electron Precipitation Event"); the next day he left New Zealand to take up a research position at the Sodankylä Geophysical Observatory in Finland. Almost at the same time we found out that Rory had won a Outstanding Student Paper Award in Space Physics & Aeronomy for his presentation at the American Geophysical Union 2010 Fall Meeting in San Francisco, California.  Congratulations to Rory on a very impressive week! [31 March 2011].

Space Physics group receives funding from the European Union

Exciting news from Europe - in collaboration with our European, US and South African colleagues, we are being funded through a European Union FP7 project. The project is entitled "A new, ground based data-assimilative modeling of the Earth's plasmasphere - a critical contribution to Radiation Belt modeling for Space Weather purposes", and has the short name PLASMON. It includes multiple institutions worldwide but is led by Dr. Janos Lichtenberger of Eötvös University (ELTE), Budapest - Hungary, who has visited us twice before in Dunedin. We will be strongly involved in Work Package 4, which will make use of AARDDVARK data, and Assoc. Prof. Rodger is the leader of Work Package 5, dissemination. The Otago support is €352,357 (out of €1,972,269 total), and will fund a PostDoc and a PhD student in the Otago Space Physics group. More information at the PLASMON website. [12 January 2011].

Space Physics Hosts Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara Fellow

From January-April 2011 the Otago Space Physics group is hosting Assoc. Prof. Sushil Kumar of the University of the South Pacific (Fiji). Assoc. Prof. Kumar is visiting the as the 2011 Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara Fellow, an award which funds staff from the University of the South Pacific to work for up to 3 months with researchers from Otago. Assoc. Prof. Kumar plans to work with us on lightning, red sprites, and subionospheric VLF propagation.  [10 January 2011].

In the footsteps of Scott

In November 2010 an international two-man team will be travelling to Antarctica to visit the Otago Space Physics Group's experiment. The team is scheduled to travel to Scott Base on Wednesday 24 November 2010 for a brief seven-day visit to the ice. Dr Craig Rodger, the event leader, will accompany British Antarctic Survey scientist Dr Mark Clilverd. The logistics support, comprising air transport, accommodation, and all other on-ice support is provided through Antarctica New Zealand Event K060.

The researchers are travelling to Antarctica to undertake maintenance on Otago's AARDDVARK radio receiver which is located at Arrival Heights, not far from Scott Base. The Space Physics group deployed this radio receiver in December 2008. Feedback from the Antarctica New Zealand Scott Base technicians have identified damage to our antenna cables, likely caused by the strong winds at Arrival Heights. Mark and Craig will be replacing these cables, checking for other damage, gathering up the data for the last year, and undertaking calibration of the gear.

You can read more at this webpage which describes the trip.  [22 November 2010]

New AARDDVARK site added to network

Dr Craig Rodger travelled to Alberta, Canada, to add a new AARDDVARK antenna to the network of VLF receivers. The antenna was  installed at Lake Ministik, a CARISMA field site of the Space Physics Group, University of Alberta. Dr Craig Rodger and Dr Mark Clilverd (British Antarctic Survey) installed the new receiving equipment during a week in mid-October. The antenna will feed measurements to the AARDDVARK and WWLLN networks. [17 October 2010]

Space Physics wins Marsden support

The Space Physics research group has been awarded a $700,000 project grant from the New Zealand Marsden Fund. This grant will support the research of Otago Staff Dr. Craig Rodger and Assoc. Prof. Neil Thomson plus Dr. Adian McDonald of the University of Canterbury for 3-years starting March 2011. You can read more about our proposed research from this webpage. [24 September 2010]

Craig Rodger gives Plenary Lecture at SAIP

Dr Craig Rodger travelled to South Africa to give a Plenary Lecture at the 55th Annual Conference of the South African Institute of Physics, which was held in Pretoria, South Africa. While in South Africa was hosted by the Hermanus Magnetic Observatory, and also gave seminars at the University of Cape Town and the University of KwaZulu-Natal.  [7 October 2010]

Rob completes his MSc

Space Physics MSc student Rob McCormick has now been formally advised of his mark, having completed her project. Rob was working on an improved fullwave computation model to describe subionospheric VLF propagation. Well done Rob! He has now moved on to working for the Otago DHB.  [21 September 2010]

Mark leaves after his 2010 visit

Dr. Mark Clilverd, visiting the group from the British Antarctic Survey has now headed out of Dunedin, on his way back home. Mark spent 2.5 weeks with us, primarily working with Dr. Craig Rodger, but also Assoc Prof. Neil Thomson, and students Rory Gamble and Sarah Dietrich. Mark is a regular visitor to Dunedin, and some of the visit was used so he and Craig could plan their joint activities in 2010. We hope to see him again for Summer next year. We enjoyed some walks around Dunedin, some dinners out, and of course a lot of Scientific Discussion. [24 January 2010].

Sarah completes her MSc

Space Physics MSc student Sarah Dietrich has now been formally advised of her mark, having completed her project. Sarah was comparing relativistic electron microburst observations from our ground-based AARDDVARK data with satellite measurements. She plans to graduate in May 2010. Well done Sarah! She is currently working inside the group as part of a Summer Bursary. [22 January 2010]

Intrepid Journey - part 2

Dr James Brundell and Space Physics PhD student Mr Rory Gamble returned from Antarctica on 12 December 2009. Their entire journey went to plan, with all the goals of the expedition met. Event K060 is looking good for the next year of data gathering from Scott Base! [22 December 2009]

Intrepid Journey

The Space Physics Group of the Physics Department is about to send two researchers to Antarctica. The two-man team is scheduled to travel to Scott Base on Wednesday 2 December 2009 for a brief nine-day visit to the ice. Dr James Brundell, the event leader, will accompany Space Physics PhD student Mr Rory Gamble. The team's transport and on-ice support will be provided through Antarctica New Zealand Event K060.

The researchers are travelling to Antarctica to gather data from Otago's AARDDVARK radio receiver which is located at Arrival Heights, not far from Scott Base. The Space Physics group deployed this radio receiver in December 2008, and a big part of this year's trip is to see how the antenna and electronics have survived a year in the very high winds and cold temperatures up at the Heights.

You can read more at this webpage which describes the trip.  [23 November 2009]

Scientists find solar footprints in the snow

A new study by the Space Physics group and their collaborators shows that the magnetic space storms that create the northern and southern lights could lead to a better understanding of natural temperature variations in the polar regions. Surprisingly, large  temperature changes may be linked to auroral activity. More information is available from this webpage. [4 November 2009]

 

Space Physics News (before Oct 2009)

Space Physics news from before late October 2009, when the Physics Department updated its webpage. The old Space Physics webpage is available for you to take a look at.