Kiruna Atmospheric and Geophysical Observatory(KAGO)
Status report 2020-11-26 with focus on ALIS 4D

Urban Brändström, Johan Kero, Thomas Leyser, Daria
Mikhaylova, Peje Nilsson, Uwe Raffalski, Fredrik Rutqvist,
Tima Sergienko, Lars-Göran Vanhainen, Masatoshi Yamauchi
Swedish Institute of Space Physics (KAGO, STAR)

2020-11-26

OutlineOverview
ALIS 4D status
ALIS 4D and EISCAT 3D
KAGO status
All-sky cameras
Magnetometers
Riometers
Ionosondes
InfrasoundSummaryKAGO Instrument overview
Kiruna Atmospheric and Geophysical Observatory

I Magnetometers, 1950–: IRF [PI: Yamauchi]: Kiruna, Lycksele,Tormestorp;
SGU[Schwarz]: Abisko, Uppsala and operation of Lycksele
I Ionosondes, 1952– [PI: Leyser]: Kiruna, Lycksele, Uppsala.
I Allsky cameras, 1956– [PI: Brändström]: Kiruna, Abisko, Tjautjas
I Riometers, 1958– [PI: Sergienko]: Kiruna, Lycksele
I Infrasound, 1973– [PI: Kero]: (In observatory since 2015) (Kiruna,Jämtön, Lycksele, Sodankylä)
I Ozone radiometer (KIMRA), 2001– [PI: Raffalski]: (In observatorysince 2018) (Kiruna)
I ALIS 4D [PI: Brändström] (Observatory measurements from late2020) Abisko, Kiruna, Silkkimuotka, Tjautjas
I (Weather station, ALIS, guest instruments, etc.)

KAGO news
Kiruna Atmospheric and Geophysical Observatory

I ALIS 4D operational. Observatory measurements startingsoon.
I New Allsky camera (Sony α7S) in Kiruna.
I New suspended variometer and major refurbishment ofmagnetic observatory.
I RfS spectroriometer in Kiruna disturbed by Kiruna ionosonde.
Relocation planned. (Nikkaluokta, Silkkimuotka or Tjautjas?)
I New low-cost ionosondes (after Juha Vierinen) are underinvestigations

Outline
Overview
ALIS 4D status
ALIS 4D and EISCAT 3D
KAGO status
All-sky cameras
Magnetometers
Riometers
Ionosondes
InfrasoundSummary

AILS 4D timeline
A Swedish contribution to complementary instruments for EISCAT 3D

I Funded by Kempestiftelserna, Faculty of Science andTechnology at UmU and IRF.
I High-time resolution (> 25 FPS)
I Continuous operation (observatory modes)
I Timeline:
I 2016: (summer) Funding application (granted in November)
I 2017: Procurement procedures, four Andor imagers delivered,optics ordered
I 2018: Optics delivery (April) Main development work.
I 2019: first light, first campaign (October 2020)
I 2020: SPIDER2 campaign Continuous operations from fall.
I 2021: Regular operations begin

AILS 4DPeople involved

I IRF/KAGO core team:
I Urban Brändström, PI
I Lars-Göran Vanhainen, Engineer

I IRF/STAR, core team:I Peje Nilsson, Software engineer
I Tima Sergienko, CoII International collaborators
I Yasunobo Ogawa, NIPR
I Yoshimasa Tanaka, NIPRI Takanori Nishiyama , NIPRI Keisuke Hosokawa, ISEEI Shin-ichiro Oyama (ISEE & U. Oulu)
I ...

I Umeå University, Physics

ALIS 4D
First light 2019-02-28 18:38:00.005608 11.006 s 6750 Å

6750 Å

6562 Å

4278 Å

6562 ÅALIS 4D sites
NorwayBFinlandAS
NK

EO

SwedenM
TI

Legend:OperationalStandby
Deployed

ALIS 4D
Overview

I Design goal: to be compatible with EISCAT 3D and similar
efforts (in particular optical) in Norway, Finland (and Russia?).
I Both long-time monitoring and campaign mode observations
I Much to explore regarding operating modes, observatory vs.
campaign modes, interoperability, etc.
I More or less on schedule (knock on wood)

ALIS/ALIS 4D
Comparision of some key specifications

FoV

Spatialresolution
Temporal
ModeALIS
6 CCD ≈ 60◦
1 EMCCD ≈ 30◦(1 EMCCD ≈ 15◦ )10242 ≈ 100m
2562 ≈ 500m
0.2 HzCampaign only

ALIS 4D phase II
4 (5) EMCCD ≈ 136◦
1 EMCCD ≈ 30◦(1 EMCCD ≈ 15◦ )10242 ≈ 750m
5122 ≈ 1.5km> 25 Hz
monitoring/campaign

ALIS/ALIS 4D
Preliminary absolute calibration

Dynamic range.
ALIS (CCD)
ALIS 4D (EMCCD)ALIS (CCD)
ALIS (CCD)
ALIS 4D (EMCCD)ALIS 4D (EMCCD)

Res.
2562
10242
10242
2562
10242
10242

Hz
0.2
25
0.04
0.2
25
25

low
R/count
1.74
2.9
13.4
0.78
0.4
0.4

high
R/count
10

2.5
1.7

λc
4278Å
4278Å
5577Å
5577Å
5577Å
6300Å

What is a Rayleigh?
Z ∞4πLγ =

(l, t, λ)dl(1)0This quantity is the column emission rate, which Hunten et al.
[1956] proposed as a radiometric unit for the aurora and airglow.
In SI-units the Rayleigh becomes [Baker and Romick, 1976]:
photons(2)
1 [Rayleigh] ≡ 1 [R] , 1010s m2 (column)
Radiance:λphotons
Lγ =LEhcs m2 sr

Rayleigh to radiance [Baker and Romick, 1976]:
1010 I photons
Lγ =4πs m2 sr(3)

He said the R-word!!!
This seminar is getting silly, STOP IT NOW!

—My brain hurts!

—This is a topic for a completely different seminar!
—Besides I talked about this in 2015. . . they should remember.
—Should we say the G-word to SSPT? Geometrical factor!!!

ALIS 4D
Some components inherited from ALISI Station huts:
I Camera mounts (refurbished)
I Filterwheels (refurbished) and filters
I Aniara (Software) (Major rewrite done)

Sort of an Àttje

NormalPessimal case

ALIS/ALIS 4D
Filters inherited from ALIS

λ [Å]
3950
4227
4340.54278
4861.3
5100
5577
5893
6230
6300
6562
6562.8
6750
8000
8446

∆λ [Å]
92
280
2550
2540
40200
4040
70
25200
1000
40

Line
Ca, FeCa, Fe, H2 O, . . .
Hγ , Balmer series
N+2 1Neg.
Hβ , Balmer seriesO(1 S)
Na, . . .
O(1 D)HαHα , Balmer series
N2 1POH MeinelO(3p3 P)

UsageMeteors
Meteors
Meteors
Aurora/Airglow
Meteors
Background
Aurora/Airglow
Meteors
Background
Aurora/Airglow
SPIDER
Meteors
SPIDER/LEEWAVES
Airglow LEEWAVES
Aurora/Airglow (O(3p3 P))#111614614641444

ALIS 4D
Station block diagram
Camera platform

Beta axis

Fisheye lens f/4.0

Light sensor

Angularencoder

Shutter
Filterwheel 6 pos.
Telecentric optics

M

CCD lens f/0.95

Angularencoder

43

USB/RS232

Shutter ctrl

2567PDU
Power Distribution Unit

Environment
Control
Unit

Internet via
microwave: Knutstorp / Abiskomobile: Silkimoutka
fiber: Tjautjas

1CPS0FWC

Fan

ECU

Station PC
EMCCD

HeaterKeoshutter ctrl

Imager PC

FWC
Filterwheel
ControlSensors

Ext. trig

DC 12V

AC/DCCPS
CameraPositioning
SystemTerm. block

USB 3.0

Andor iXon
EMCCD

M

Alfa axis

HU+12V

RouterUPS

Housekeeping
Unit
Raspberry Pi

12V 75Ah

Switch230V AC

ChargeStationPC

Ext. disc

1 PPS+12V

GPS
4PCI

3USB

ImagerPC
USB321RS232

ALIS 4D
ESRANGE imager

ALIS 4D
All imagers

ALIS 4D
Software summary 2020-11-26

Aniara Software suite for ALIS/ALIS 4D written in C (GPL,Brändström and co-authors)mima Imager site daemon
saba Positioning daemon
ud “universal daemon” uses dynamic
libraries (modules) for interfacing tovarious hardware (housekeeping unit,etc.)
fonoglob Text-based user interface andinterfacing daemon (web-interface,other things]
ql4d Quicklooks, movies and more (GPL, Peje Nilsson)
Not yet Keograms.
AIDA tools Gustavsson, Sergienko (Matlab, Scilab) main analysis
software for ALIS/ALIS 4D, etc. Python port!

Data production“Harddisks are either new or full” Gustavsson

Hz0.1
0.10.1111252525

resolution
2562
5122
10242
2562
5122
10242
2562
5122
10242

GiB/h
0.02
0.09
0.35
0.22
0.9
3.5
1144
176

total GiB/h
0.09
0.4
14.1
0.88
3.51
14.06
44176
703

GiB/night
1
622
1456
225
352
1406
5625

EISCAT 3D science case
Infrastructures and geographical advantages

ALIS 4DDo EISCAT 3D need optics?

I High-speed narrow-band imaging of aurora, RIOE, meteor
trails, . . .
I Observatory modes (long-time monitoring)
I The string “optic” occurs 46 times in 122 pages
I Table 1 “EISCAT 3D radar performance requirements” p.
107–109: Optics required in 70 % (16 of 23) science topics .
Optical measurements are a requirement for EISCAT 3D!
new-moon periods are popular! (Gustavsson, present EISCAT)
There are many clear solid scientific objectives for opticalinstruments!

Complementary experiences
ALIS/EISCAT campaigns 1990-present

I Many instruments lacks (proper) user interfaces
I Many combinations of operating systems, platforms andsoftware.
I Realtime data access has improved over the years
I Observations missed as many experimenters assumedcontinous operation (ALIS)I No common data license but many groups moving in that
direction.
I Many of us re-invent the wheel several times
I No joint scheduling of EISCAT and complementary
instruments, many PIs to contact
I Increasing Nordic collaboration on these matters (NOMx)

Towards a common interface specification
Some thoughts regarding design requirements

I Platform independent (Everyone must be able continue to use
their favourite operating systems and tools)
I Interoperability with other systems such as EISCAT 3D
I Possibility of combining several national infrastructures andinstruments into larger units. One such example:
BIFROST/ALIS 4D/MIRACLEALIS 4D
data levels

Level
Level 0Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Level 4

(Level 5)

Usage
N/A
Binary dumps (technical testsonly)
Unprocessed (raw) data stored as FITS-files
Processed data in physicalunits
Higly processed data in physical units (e.g. 3D volumeemission rate from tomography)
Final scientific results (e.g.
publications)

Archived
N/A
yes

Metadata
N/A
no

yes

yesyes?

yes

yes?

yes

yes

yesSuggested levels of control

C0
C1
C2
C3

C4

Level of control
Not controllable, data onlyBasic control ability
Advanced configuration andcontrol abilities
Realtime analysis capabilites capable of bidirectionalcommand and control
As C3 but autonomous bidirectional decision-makingand control

For example
Magnetometer, simple riometer
Simple ASC
ALIS/ALIS 4D Modern Ionosondes
Not yetNot yetThe Open Systems Interconnection modelSuggested layers of instrument control
Layer
76

Description
Top level interfaces
Translation

5

Native user interface or API

4Communication

32
1

Instrument software
Internal firmware
HardwareFor example (ALIS 4D)
EISCAT 3D user interface
Between native interface(s) and other systems
via a common interface
specification (CIS)
web- and/or text-baseduser interfaces
fonoglob -d (“concentrator” daemon)(mima imager daemon)(Imager firmware)(Imager, filterwheel, etc.)

ALIS 4D
SPIDER2 launch

ALIS 4D
Ongoing scientfic studies

I Data-analysis/publications
I G. Giono, N. Ivchenko, T. Sergienko and U. Brändström:“Multi-point measurements of the plasma density andtemperature from the Langmuir probe onboard the SPIDER
sounding rocket Free Falling Units.” (SPIDER, ALIS, SNSA)I Sergienko, et al.: data-analysis (SNSA ongoing)
Quicklook-movie 2020-02-19 SPIDER2 launch at 23:14 UTC
I Sergienko, et al.: Orbit determination from ALIS 4D images(ongoing, SNSA/NRFP)I Future projects
I Several scientific campaigns 2020/2021
I BROR (Sergienko, SNSA TBC)
I Orbit determinations (SNSA/NRFP, TBC)

ALIS 4D
PI: Urban Brändström

I Operational with four stations (Abisko, Kiruna, Silkkimuotka
and Tjautjas) since fall 2019.
I ESRANGE since spring 2020. SPIDER2I BROR: barium release rocket mission (if funded)
I Optical support for EISCAT 3D
I Andor DU-888 EMCCD-imagers (1024 × 1024, up to videorates)
I Narrow band interference filters with six position filter-wheel
I Absolute calibrated.
I Long-time monitoring starts soon (2020, hopefully MIRACLEcompatible) Delayed mainly because of cloudy skies.
I Raw-data (FITS), gif quicklooks and daily movie.
I Quicklook-movie 2020-09-23

OutlineOverview
ALIS 4D status
ALIS 4D and EISCAT 3D
KAGO status
All-sky cameras
Magnetometers
Riometers
Ionosondes
InfrasoundSummary

New allsky camera (Sony α7S)
PI: Urban Brändström

I Normally 1 exp. / min.
but campaign modes
available
I Keograms, movie andthree resolutions (up to4K available)
I Quicklook-movie
2020-09-23

Older all-sky cameras

All-sky cameras

I Objective: Sky overview during dark hours. (Colour imaging eachminute during dark periods). Absolute measurements: ALIS during
campaigns
I Kiruna instrument: Nikkor 8mm objective lens and a Sony α7s(Nikon D700 until spring 2020)
I Time-series: 1956–2004 (film) 2001– (digital)
I Related: Meteor cameras All-sky camera at Abisko turiststation(Nishi-san)I ISEE 100Hz camera (Tjautjas)
I More cameras planned (Hopefully Lycksele)
I PI: Urban BrändströmMeteor cameras
Abisko, Kiruna, Sodankylä and UmeåI PI: Eric Stempels (UU) (IRF: Johan/Urban)
I Objective: Sky overview. (B/W video imaging 24/7) meteor
detection
I Kiruna and Abisko part of Swedish Meteor Imaging network
I Abisko:
I Kiruna:
I Sodankylä:I Umeå: (UmU)
I Time-series: 2015–
I More cameras plannedBolid
2019-09-24 23:19:01 UTCKiruna(Abisko)ISEE/NIPR cameras
100 Hz EMCCD and four channel auroral imagers

ISEE/NIPR

PI: Yasunobu Ogawa (watec), Keisuke Hosokawa (100 Hz)

Optical absolute calibration

Geomagnetic observations
PI: Masatoshi Yamauchi

Geomagnetic observations
Kiruna, Lycksele and Tormestorp

I PI: Masatoshi Yamauchi
I Kiruna: timeseries 1950–
I 2 Variometers primary (DTU FGE suspended) andsecondary(DMI-FGE91)
I 2 Proton magnetometers (Gemsys)
I 2 DI-flux teodolites
I 2020:I Major upgrade of the observatory to INTERMAGNET 1 sstandard.
I Replaced one variometer with a modern suspended instrumentI Lycksele (in cooperation with SGU): timeseries 1957–
I 2 Variometers
I Proton (Gemsys) I DI-flux teodolite

I Tormestorp (Hässleholm): variometer (DTU-FGE) 2018–
I Abisko and Uppsala PI Gerhard Schwarz (Owned andoperated by SGU)New variometer

Lantmäteriet
Swedish land survey measured geographic northPhotos: Daria Mikhaylova

IRF MagnetokeogramRiometers
Kiruna and Lycksele

I PI/Project leader: Tima Sergienko/Daria Mikhaylova
I IRFs first scientific publication on polar cap absorption.
I Kiruna: timeseries since 1958
I 30 MHz and 38 MHz derived from spectroriogram
I New SDR- spectroriometer installed (RF-Shamaanit)

I Lycksele: timeseries since 1958 Instrument: La Jolla Sciences(“blue box”)
I 38 MHzI GloRiA http://spears.lancs.ac.uk/gloria/
I Delivers data to Aviation Civile, France, ICAO 24/7 service(2018–)

Ionosondes
PI: Thomas Leyser (Photo L-G Vanhainen)Ionosondes
Kiruna, Lycksele and Uppsala

I PI: Thomas Leyser
I Kiruna: timeseries since 1957 (first ionograms 1948!)
I Vertical Incidence Pulsed Ionospheric Radar, (VIPR) delivered
fall 2016. Running since December 2016.

I Lycksele: timeseries since 1957
I Old ionosonde 4 ionograms/hour.

I Uppsala: timeseries: since 1952
I Old ionosonde 4 ionograms/hour. Broken beyond repair!
Urgent need for new instruments

I New ionosondes (after Vierinen) built at IRF start 2021

Infrasound
PI Johan Kero

InfrasoundKiruna, Jämtön, Lycksele and Sodankylä

I PI: Johan KeroI Objective: Infrasound detection and triangulation
I Kiruna: Timeseries since 1973
I Kiruna: microphones (old and new)I Four microbarographs from CEA, France

I Jämtön:
I Microphones (old and new)

I Lycksele:
I Microphones (old and new)

I Sodankylä (moved from Uppsala)
I Microphones (old to be upgraded)Outline
Overview
ALIS 4D status
ALIS 4D and EISCAT 3D
KAGO status
All-sky cameras
Magnetometers
Riometers
Ionosondes
InfrasoundSummarySummary

I Some work remains. . .
I ALIS 4D long-time monitoring of selected emissions.
I BROR mission (if funded by SNSA)I New allsky-camera in Kiruna, (open-source)
I Move spectroriometer?
I New IRF-built ionosondes in Uppsala and Lycksele?
I The pandemic makes things go slower, but so far no major
problems as long as nobody gets covid-19
I A lot of work, we are under-staffed but situation more or lessunder control as long as all are healthyReferences I

Baker, D. J., and G. J. Romick, The Rayleigh interpretation of theunit in terms of column emission rate or apparent radianceexpressed in SI units, Appl. Optics, 15 (8), 1966–1968, 1976.
Hunten, D. M., F. E. Roach, and J. W. Chamberlain, A
photometric unit for the aurora and airglow, J. Atmos. Terr.
Phys., 8, 345–346, 1956.