Cluster II: Research Iniatives by Norwegian Groups

Cluster science in the participating Norwegian groups is centered around studies of processes in the magnetospheric cusp and on studies of substorms and storms. The four spacecraft configuration is particularly well suited for these studies. FFI is involved with two experiments on Cluster II, one for emission of ions to control the electric potential of the spacecraft and one for measuring electrons from energies of eV to keV. UiB participate in a high-energy ion/electron experiment and UiO in an electric field experiment which again is part of a large field and wave combination. The analysis of the Cluster data have proved to be very successful. The combination of observations on Cluster, on the ground (e.g. EISCAT and optical observations) and on SOHO, POLAR and other satellites contribute significantly to solar-terrestrial scie nce. Increased data coverage for the Cluster satellites gives more cases for multi-instrument studies combining space craft and ground-based observations. The success of Cluster science depends on a large extent that a number of young scientists (cand.scient and post.docs) become involved in programme. The recruitmant of students to work on Cluster related projects has been promising and today four students are working on their cand.scient degrees in this field. It is important that some of these students can proceed on a dr.scient study. The Cluster II science is now extended through the European/China magnetospheric Double Star Project to be launched in 2004. FFI participate in Double Star with the Cluster instruments Peace and Aspoc. UiO participate in the Rosetta project, one of the co rnerstones in ESA's Horizon 2000+, with a Ground Support Equipment (EGSE) for the Langmuir Probe Instrument.