Fact Sheet
GOLD – Global-scale Observations of the Limb
and Disk
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GOLD Investigation Goals Global-scale Observations of the Limb and Disk (GOLD) is a Mission
of Opportunity to perform remote-sensing measurements of the Earth’s
thermosphere and ionosphere, using an ultraviolet imaging spectrograph
located in a geostationary orbit. The goal of the mission is to provide
answers to key elements of an overarching question for Heliophysics science: What
is the global-scale response of the thermosphere and ionosphere to forcing in
the integrated Sun-Earth system? |
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GOLD Science Objectives
· Determine how geomagnetic storms o affect temperature and composition in the thermosphere o affect the low-latitude nighttime ionosphere o depend on the initial state of the thermosphere-ionosphere ·
Establish
the global-scale response of the thermosphere to solar EUV variability ·
Determine
the effect of atmospheric waves and tides on thermospheric temperature
structure ·
Establish
whether vertical ion drifts affect the occurrence of ionospheric
irregularities |
Differences
in O/N2 column density ratio between storm time and quiet time (in
percent) from TIEGCM simulation |
GOLD Instrument
Configuration
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Two
Identical Imaging Channels ·
Spectral
Range 132 -162 nm |
GOLD Measurement Objectives
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On the Disk: o Neutral temperatures at 150 km from N2 LBH bands o O/N2 column density ratios o Electron density variations o 30 minute cadence ·
On the Limb: o O2 density profiles from 150-250 km (day and night) by stellar occultation. o Daytime exospheric temperature (Texo) from N2 emission profiles 200 - 350 km |
Operations
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Operations and Data Analysis
· Observations from geostationary communications spacecraft o
o Real time data downlink ·
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o Instrument monitoring, command generation o Level 0-1 data processing ·
o Simultaneous data receipt o Level 0-5 data processing o
Data archiving and public release |
GOLD Team
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Principal Investigator: Dr. Richard Eastes, University of Central Florida/FSI Institutional Principal Investigator: Dr. William McClintock, Univ. of Colorado/LASP Project Scientist: Dr. Alan Burns, UCAR Co-Investigators: Dr. D. Strickland, CPI Dr. D. Anderson, CIRES Dr. T. Woods, LASP Dr. L. Andersson, LASP Collaborators: Dr.
S. Budzien, NRL Dr.
A. Aksnes, U Dr. E. CoBabe-Ammann, LASP Dr. K. Dymond, NRL Dr. M. Codrescu, NOAA Dr. F. Eparvier, LASP Dr. R. Daniell, IP Dr. S. England, SSL Project Leaders: Dr. J. Harvey, UCF Project Manager: Mr. Mark Lankton, LASP Dr. T. Immel, SSL Systems Engineering: Dr. S. Batiste, LASP Dr. J. Lumpe, CPI Flight Assurance: Mr. T. Taylor, LASP Dr. A. Richmond, UCAR Algorithms Manager: Dr. J. Lumpe, CPI Dr. D. Rusch, LASP Data Systems Manager: Dr. H. Foroosh, UCF Dr. O. Siegmund, SSL EP/O: Dr. E. CoBabe-Ammann, LASP Dr. S. Solomon, UCAR Project
Coordinator: Dr. A. Krywonos, UCF |
Cost Estimate
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Schedule
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Phase A $295K Phase B $13,125K Phase C/D $27,076K Phase E $7,353K Phase F $1,117K Total Project $48,966K |
Phase Start B 1/19/2009 C/D 6/10/2010 Launch (nominal) 12/14/2012 E/F 1/14/2013 Project complete 12/16/2015 |