1695 North Research Park Way • North Logan, Utah 84341 • Phone 435.713.3400 • www.sdl.usu.edu

SDL/11-230B

Plume

Bulge

Plume

Bulge

ASTRAUSU/SDLClemson

Embry-Riddle

SED plume forms polar tongue of ionizationMerged SuperDARN/DMSP Convection

Embry-Riddle

DYNAMIC IONOSPHERE CUBESAT EXPERIMENT

The DICE mission consists of two identical 1.5U CubeSats deployed

simultaneously from a single P-POD (NASA’s Poly

Picosatellite Orbital Deployer) into the

same orbit. Each carries

two Langmuir probes to measure in-situ ionospheric

plasma densities and electric �eld probes to measure DC

and AC electric �elds. These measurements permit accurate

identi�cation of storm-time features, such as the SED bulge

and plume, together with simultaneous, co-located electric

�eld measurements, which have previously been lacking. The

satellites separated relative to each other over time due to di�erences

in the ejection velocity. The use of two identical satellites permits the

de-convolution of spatial and temporal ambiguities in the observations of

the ionosphere from a moving platform.

Magnetic storms are part of space weather, conditions in near-earth space

that can in�uence the performance and

reliability of spaceborne and ground-based

technological systems. Ionospheric

variability has a particularly dramatic

e�ect on radio frequency systems. Some

of the largest gradients are found on the

edges of Storm Enhanced Density (SED)

features, which regularly occur over the

United States in the afternoon during

magnetic disturbances. These ionospheric

features need to be better characterized

and understood. The DICE program

provides simultaneous key electric �eld and

electron density measurements in the early

afternoon sector where many SEDs seem to

form. The DICE mission also provides new

measurements of SED features and insight

into what causes their formation, evolution,

and decay.

April 11, 2001 00:24 - Before the Storm April 12, 2001 02:25 - After the Storm

October 30, 2003, Storm November 20,2003, Storm

Image credit : Foster et al., 2005 Image credit : Foster et al., 2005

Image courtesy Jerry GoldsteinImage courtesy Jerry Goldstein

1695 North Research Park Way • North Logan, Utah 84341 • Phone 435.713.3400 • www.sdl.usu.edu1695 North Research Park Way • North Logan, Utah 84341 • Phone 435.713.3400 • www.sdl.usu.edu

Magnetometer

Langmuir Probe

Electric Field Probes

Langmuir Probe

Troposphere

Thermosphere

Mesosphere

Exosphere

Stratosphere

DYNAMIC IONOSPHERE CUBESAT EXPERIMENT

MISSION SPONSORS