MMS-THEMIS Coordination Working Group
Rev. 0
MMS-THEMIS Coordination
Working Group
Study Report and Recommendations
Effective Date: 15 April 2014
National Aeronautics and
Space Administration
Goddard Space Flight Center
Greenbelt, Maryland
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MMS-THEMIS Coordination Working Group
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Review/Approvals
MMS
James Burch (SWRI)
Thomas Moore (GSFC)
Roy Torbert (UNH)
Stephen Fuselier (SWRI)
Craig Tooley (GSFC)
Conrad Schiff (GSFC)
THEMIS
Vassilis Angelopoulos (UCLA)
David Sibeck (GSFC)
Tai Phan (UCB)
Rich Burns (GSFC)
Debi Knapp (GSFC)
HQ
David Klumpar (HQ)
Elsayed Talaat (HQ)
Working Group Chair:
Barbara Giles (GSFC)
Table of Contents
1.0 BACKGROUND ...................................................................................................... 3
1.1 Relevant History: MMS and “Multiscale” Science................................................ 3
1.2 THEMIS in the April 2013 Heliophysics Senior Review ....................................... 4
1.3 CrossScale Science in the 2012 Heliophysics Decadal Survey .......................... 4
2.0 OPTIONS ............................................................................................................... 4
2.1 Accept Relative Motion of Spacecraft as Left by the Launch Delay .................... 4
2.2 Restore the Spacecraft Alignment....................................................................... 4
3.0 RISKS/IMPACTS ON IMPLEMENTING ALIGNMENT ............................................ 4
3.1 <ENTER SECTION TITLE HERE> ..................................................................... 4
3.2 <ENTER SECTION TITLE HERE> ..................................................................... 4
4.0 RECOMMENDATIONS .......................................................................................... 4
5.0 References ............................................................................................................. 5
APPENDIX A: Working Group Charter ........................................................................... 6
APPENDIX B: THEMIS and 2012 Senior Review .......................................................... 7
APPENDIX C: THEMIS Fuel Reserves, Spacecraft and Instrument Health ................... 8
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MMS-THEMIS Coordination Working Group
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1.0
BACKGROUND
Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) is a Solar Terrestrial Probes Program mission comprising
four identically instrumented spacecraft that will use Earth’s magnetosphere as a laboratory to
understand the microphysics of magnetic reconnection by determining the kinetic processes
occurring in the electron diffusion region that are responsible for collisionless magnetic
reconnection, especially how reconnection is initiated. MMS will launch in March 2015.
THEMIS is a five-spacecraft MIDEX Explorer Program mission in extended phase. Its prime
objective was to determine the trigger of energy releases during magnetospheric substorms by
timing coordinated observations between the magnetotail reconnection region, the near-earth
magnetotail region where space currents are strongest, and the aurora where energy is dissipated.
THEMIS was launched February 17, 2007. Its prime mission was accomplished by 2009,
showing that magnetic reconnection triggers the global substorm instability. In 2010, two of the
five spacecraft were placed in lunar orbit (the ARTEMIS contingent) from where they conduct
(amongst other studies) unique, high fidelity observations the global electrodynamic energy
input, storage and release in the magnetosphere, depending on lunar phase. The three remaining
earth-orbiting THEMIS spacecraft are in highly elliptical (1.1 x 12 RE) orbits, and at equal (~8hr)
along-track separations, conducting space weather studies related to energy and particle transport
across L-shells, in conjunction with other Heliophysics assets (e.g., Van Allen Probes).
At the Senior Review of April 2013, THEMIS proposed to enhance the scientific output from the
current Heliophysics missions by aligning its lines of apsides with those of MMS during the
second MMS dayside season and form a large-scale tetrahedron (exploring ion inertial to MHD
scales) with the THEMIS probes comprising three vertices of that tetrahedron and the MMS
constellation (exploring simultaneously electron scales) at the fourth. Additionally, THEMIS
proposed to raise its spacecraft apogees and attain resonant period orbits with MMS during
MMS’s magnetotail phase. This configuration would optimize THEMIS-MMS spacecraft
alignments (ARTEMIS would also line-up once per month during that phase), in order to study
the drivers and consequences of tail reconnection at a regional-to-global scale. In that context,
other NASA and NSF Heliophysics assets could be optimally utilized (e.g., Van Allen Probes,
Geotail, Cluster, ground radars and imagers) towards a coordinated Heliophysics System
Observatory (HSO).
The Senior Review panel ranked the concept’s overall scientific merit and potential contributions
to the HSO very highly. The NASA Heliophysics Division and the Science Mission Directorate
management decided to support the THEMIS request for repositioning of its probes. In Fall 2013
THEMIS performed 19 maneuvers that accelerated its line of apsides drifts towards the launch
elements of MMS as known at the time. The partial government shutdown of October 2013
resulted in a delay of the MMS launch and uncertainty in NASA’s ability to leverage this unique
opportunity to study magnetic reconnection on multiple scales. NASA/HQ formed a working
group to explore restoring the orbital alignments and coordinating measurements that maximize
the collaborative science return of these two missions.
1.1
Relevant History: MMS and “Multiscale” Science
3
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MMS-THEMIS Coordination Working Group
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The original goal of the MMS mission was to use Earth’s magnetosphere as a laboratory to study
the microphysics of three fundamental plasma processes: magnetic reconnection, energetic
particle acceleration, and turbulence. [ADD 2-3 SENTENCES ON THE “DESCOPE” TO
FOCUS ON ELECTRON DIFFUSION REGION]
1.2
THEMIS in the April 2013 Heliophysics Senior Review
1.3
CrossScale Science in the 2012 Heliophysics Decadal Survey
2.0
OPTIONS
2.1
Accept Relative Motion of Spacecraft as Left by the Launch Delay
Enter Text Here
2.2
Restore the Spacecraft Alignment
Enter Text Here
3.0
RISKS/IMPACTS ON IMPLEMENTING ALIGNMENT
Summarize the risks and impacts, including table on cost. one subsection per “issue”
3.1
<ENTER SECTION TITLE HERE>
Enter Text Here
3.2
<ENTER SECTION TITLE HERE>
Enter Text Here
4.0
RECOMMENDATIONS
Enter Text Here
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MMS-THEMIS Coordination Working Group
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5.0
References
1. A Decadal Strategy for Solar and Space Physics (Heliophysics).
http://sites.nationalacademies.org/SSB/CurrentProjects/SSB_056864
2. Angelopoulos, V., and D. G. Sibeck, THEMIS Senior Review Proposal, 2013
http://themis.igpp.ucla.edu/pubs/reports/2013_proposals_reports.html
3. Lotko, W., D. Braun, J. Drake, J. Fennel, R. R. Fisher, J. Giacalone, T. Horbury,
R. McCoy, M. Moldwin, A. Pevtsov, J. Plane, H. Singer, C. Swenson, Senior
Review 2013 of the Misison Operations and Data Analysis Program for the
Heliophysics Extended Missions
http://science.nasa.gov/media/medialibrary/2013/07/05/Helio_SR_2013_FINAL_
ALL_v2.pdf
4.
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MMS-THEMIS Coordination Working Group
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APPENDIX A: Working Group Charter
Wednesday, April 2, 2014 8:07:20 PM Eastern Daylight Time
Subject: MMS-THEMIS Coordination Working Group
Date: Friday, February 7, 2014 4:21:19 PM Eastern Standard Time
From:
To:
CC:
Talaat, Elsayed Rasmy. (HQ-DJ000)[NASA IPA]
Jim Burch, Vassilis Angelopoulos, Moore, Thomas Earle (GSFC-6700), Sibeck, David G. (GSFC6740), Giles, Barbara (GSFC-6730)
Klumpar, David M. (HQ-DJ000)[NASA IPA]
Dear MMS and THEMIS Colleagues,
At the Senior Review of April 2013, the THEMIS team proposed a repurposing of the mission in order to enhance
the science coordination and output from the Heliophysics System Observatory (HSO). Specifically, it was
proposed to align three THEMIS probes with the MMS constellation to form a large-scale tetrahedron along ion
inertial to MHD lengths with THEMIS probes comprising three vertices of that tetrahedron and the MMS
constellation at the fourth. This configuration will enable THEMIS to provide contextual information as well as
explore ion physics at the same time that the four MMS spacecraft study electron kinetics within the reconnection
region on the dayside of the magnetosphere. The Senior Review panel was enthusiastic about this concept and
ranked it very highly in terms of overall scientific merit and potential contribution to the HSO.
Last year, NASA Heliophysics and SMD management decided to support the THEMIS request and fund the
repositioning of three of its probes. Beginning September 25, 2013 and into October, THEMIS performed all
maneuvers to accelerate its line of apsides drift towards the launch elements of MMS as was known at that time.
However, as you know, the partial government shutdown October 1-16 has resulted in a delay in the MMS launch
date. The current LRD of MMS is Nov 26 2014, but the actual launch opportunity remains uncertain due to
scheduling constraints at KSC.
We want to ensure that the HSO is able to leverage this unique opportunity to study reconnection on multiple
scales. In order to facilitate coordination between the two missions especially considering the current uncertainty
in the MMS launch date, we request that the missions convene a joint working group to enable discussions on
options and contingencies to maximize collaborative science return.
The working group would be charged with exploring options for orbital alignments and coordinating
measurements under various realistic MMS launch scenarios as they become apparent or necessary. A proposed
membership of this working group is given below but the actual constituency is left up to the mission teams. We
also request that Barbara Giles, the MMS Science Operations Team Lead to chair this working group, given her
role on MMS and experience with THEMIS.
Proposed membership for MMS-THEMIS Coordination Working Group:
Chair: Barbara Giles
MMS:
James Burch (SwRI)
Thomas Moore (GSFC)
Roy Torbert (UNH)
Stephen Fuselier (SwRI)
Craig Tooley (GSFC)
THEMIS:
Vassilis Angelopoulos (UCLA)
David Sibeck (GSFC)
Tai Phan (UCB)
Rich Burns (GSFC)
Debi Knapp (GSFC)
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We look forward to working with you on this exciting opportunity.
Sincerely,
David M. Klumpar
MMS Program Scientist
202.358.1109
Elsayed R. Talaat
THEMIS Program Scientist
202.358.3804
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MMS-THEMIS Coordination Working Group
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APPENDIX B: THEMIS and 2012 Senior Review
7
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MMS-THEMIS Coordination Working Group
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APPENDIX C: THEMIS Fuel Reserves, Spacecraft and Instrument Health
8
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