The 20 year plan into the Plasma Universe

Masaki Fujimoto

ISAS, JAXA

Space plasma physics at JAXA for the next 20 years

The transition:Magnetospheric physics putting on a new role

-The backgournd-

• Interest in the plasma effects are growing in the general space science community

• Magnetospheric in-situ observations do provide crucial information for our fundamental understanding of the Plasma Universe

• Magnetospheres do host plasma dynamics processes of fundamental importance such as

Shocks, reconnection, and turbulence.

• The magnetospheres can be regarded as the laboratories of the space plasma dynamics, and is the only space where in-situ crucial measurements can be performed.

• To revitalize the value of magnetospheric observations from this new perspective is being widely accepted by the community.

The new perspective

The parameter space not covered by

the earth’s magnetosphere

• Different parameter regime, different settings, and so on, offered by different planets.

• Driving the synergy among different missions with the Plasma Universe concept in mind.

Future Space Plasma Missions at JAXA ~2020’s

Planetary Magnetospheres The Plasma Universe Geospace Exploration

BepiColmbo L2014ESA/JAXA mission to Mercury

EJSMto Jupiter in 2020’s

SCOPE/CrossScale ESA/JAXAMultiscale at the same timein Earth magnetosphere ~2017

ERGA small explorer intothe inner-magnetosphere and relativistic particle acceleration processes~2013

The next steps

• Multi-scale measurements of space plasma dynamics in the earth’s magnetosphere via spacecraft constellation observations: SCOPE/Cross-Scale.

• Explore, with dedicated instruments, different parameter space provided by different magnetospheres: BepiColombo MMO, LAPLACE to Jupiter.

The SCOPE Mission

M. Fujimoto　　 ISAS, JAXA

Multi-scale measurements is visualization

• Good visualization

- Large field-of-view

- High resolution image

Coverage over the MHD-scale dynamics THEMIS

Resolving electron-scale dynamics MMS

Cross Scale CouplingMHD-scale dynamics

Key process in key region

In most cases, ion/electron scale physics

Non-linear effects

Non-MHD processes add interestingeffects unreachable by MHD dynamics

Boundary condition

Addition of curious effects Large-scale Dynamic

phenomenon develops only when the system works

as a whole

Simultaneous multi-scale measurements is crucial

• The coupling occurs in a time-dependent manner.

• Super-position of observations obtained at different times cannot give the correct picture.

Measurements at different scales should be made simultaneously.

Simultaneous multi-scale measurements is crucial.

Having said this,how should we design the mission?

Daughter(far) ： 5km 〜 5000km

Daughter(far)

Daughter(far)

Mother

Daughter(near) ： 5km 〜 100 ｋｍ

Daughter(far)

MHD Scale

Ultra high-speed electron measurements

Electron Scale

SCOPE

The toughest question

• Is the number of the s/c outside the mother-daughter pair, three, good enough?

• Two-scales at the same time, at most.• More straightly, more is not only better but is differ

ent.

International collaboration helps.

ESA M-CubeTetrahedra at 3-scales,with each s/c beingrather simple

JAXA SCOPEA big mothership(P/L ~90kg)

Combing the two ideas in the ideal way gives birth to

Cross Scale

Current status

• ESA Cross-Scale: Selected as one of the M-class candidate of Cosmic Vision 2015-25 in Oct 2007. In Phase-A.

• JAXA SCOPE: Proposed to ISAS Sep 2008, under review for upgrade to Phase-A.

The whole picture of SCOPE/Cross-Scale:

Full-scale coverage via international collaboration with clear interfaces

ESA’s component

China’s component Russia’s component

To be launched by JAXA’s H2-ASCOPE mother and near/far-daughter (JP w collab. Inst.) Far-daughters (CAN) Another F-daughter? (?)

Dual launch partner THEMIS-like s/c (NASA)

Programmatic issues

• SCOPE proposed at ISAS this September.• Solid ideas on the collaboration scheme (es

pecially TWN, CAN and US) as well as expressing interest in the joint-project （ especially ESA, CHN and RUS ） will help SCOPE to be successful at the review.

• SCOPE’s moving to the next stage should help others to move on.

• This is nothing but win-win relationship!

The next steps

• Multi-scale measurements of space plasma dynamics in the earth’s magnetosphere via spacecraft constellation observations: SCOPE/Cross-Scale.

• Explore, with dedicated instruments, different parameter space provided by different magnetospheres:

BepiColombo MMO, LAPLACE to Jupiter.

BepiColombo

• Full exploration of the mysterious workd of Mercury

• ESA: MPO, Magnetospheric Planetary Orbiter

• JAXA:MMO, Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter

• Two-point measurements in the exotic Hermean magnetopshere expected.

Mercury

• Small magnetosphere

• Plasma direct contact with the planetary surface

Mercury

• Small magnetosphere

• Plasma direct contact with the planetary surface

• Growing expectation triggered by recent results from Kaguya

©JAXA

Orbit

•2-h period

•polar orbit

•100 km alt.

SELENE measures the near-Moon plasma environment comprehensively.

Here at the middle of the wake is 100km above anti-subsolar point: The toughest point for the SW ions to reach.

Wake (1) : Quasi-vacuum wake

electrons

•almost void

ions

•void

Wake (2) : Electron-rich wakeelectrons

• intrusion

• low-energy

•SW e- flux

ions

• slight intrusion

Night side

electrons

– bi-streaming

– acceleration

ions

– 1-2 keV

– from the moon

ions from the moon !?

field-aligned electrons

Ions from the moonOrbit

• near noon-midnight meridian

Ion detection on the night side

• ions actually came from the moon toward SELENE

The key issue:Protons are reflectedat the Moon’s surface.A discovery byMAP-PACE/Kaguya.

Should be expected At Mercury as well.

SUN MOON

SELENE (KAGUYA) MAP-PACEhas revealed

lunar plasma environment

ReflectionPick-up ionsSputtering

etc…

Moon’s plasma environment is

unexpectedly active

Mercury Ion Environment

Solar Wind - Moon Interaction

Magnetosphere

=+

Lunar Ion Environment

Solar Wind - Moon Interaction

=+

ReflectionPick-up ionsSputteringetc…

ReflectionPick-up ionsSputteringetc…

Magnetic field shieldingMagnetospheric ConvectionParticles Acceleration

COMPLICATED

so we should be ready for surprises

SIMPLE but already very interesting

The next steps

• Multi-scale measurements of space plasma dynamics in the earth’s magnetosphere via spacecraft constellation observations: SCOPE/Cross-Scale.

• Explore, with dedicated instruments, different parameter space provided by different magnetospheres:

BepiColombo MMO, LAPLACE to Jupiter.

Orginally, LAPLACE

• ESA-JAXA collaboration proposal to ESA CV2015-25

Mission Objectives

• How did the Jupiter system form?

• How does

the Jupiter ssystem work?

• Is Europa habitable?

How we regard the Jupiter missionLAPLACE

Japanese planetary missions are in the first stage. Now is the time to plan the second stage.

In constructing the roadmap of future planetary missions, a mission to Jupiter has come to be recognized as the focus of interest from various disciplines.

• We regard LAPLACE as the post-BepiColombo mission. -ESA-JAXA collaboration to make a challenge mission happen -International team-up to explore a planet as one-world -International team-up to accomplish the mission for mankind

In the LAPLACE proposal

• ESA to provide Europa orbiter and Jovian orbiter, both 3-axis stabilized (suited for imaging)

• JAXA to provide a spinner (JMO: Jovian Magnetospheric Orbiter), the best platform for space plasma measurements

• The spinner as a passenger until the Jovian orbit insertion

• Three-point measurements of the Jovian magnetospheric dynamics

Expectation of JMO

Study in the Jovian magnetospheric data of sufficient quality can overarch between

planetary-plasma and astro-plasma physics.

Current status of what was formerly known as LAPLACE

• One of the L-class candidate of ESA Cosmic Vision 2015-25, in Phase A.

• Now NASA joined, and the mission name is changed to EJSM (Europa-Jupiter-System-Mission)

• NASA: Europa orbiter, ESA: Ganymede orbiter, JAXA: need to come up with self-launch scenario to fly an up-graded package including JMO.

• Still three-point measurent expected.

Future Space Plasma Missions at JAXA ~2020’s

Planetary Magnetospheres The Plasma Universe Geospace Exploration

BepiColmbo L2014ESA/JAXA mission to Mercury

EJSMto Jupiter in 2020’s

SCOPE/CrossScale ESA/JAXAMultiscale at the same timein Earth magnetosphere ~2017

ERGA small explorer intothe inner-magnetosphere and relativistic particle acceleration processes~2013

Until Cross-Scale/SCOPE 2017

• Ongoing: Geotail-Cluster-THEMIS multi-point measurements. Researcher-friendly web-tool provided at DARTS.ISAS

• Strong simulation groups interacting quite fruitfully with the observers

• Kaguya, Reimei (microsat for Auroral physics)• ~2013: ERG. A

small inner-magnetospehre explorer• 2014:MMS.

Provide ion-detector onboard

Three steps towards the new horizon

• SCOPE/CrossScale: Setting the new backbone of space plasma physics

• BepiColombo MMO to Mercury: Exploration into the mysterious micro-cosmos

• EJSM JMO to Jupiter: Anatomy of the huge particle accelerator

• These three major steps (plus ERG) via international collaboration (hopefully including Taiwan) will transform space plasma physics into a new shape.

• It’s not just about the magnetosphere anymore.