1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:04,400 To get a better idea of how ground-based instruments and sounding rockets are used, 2 00:00:04,400 --> 00:00:07,900 let's visit Professor Alv Egeland at the Andoya Rocket Range. 3 00:00:07,900 --> 00:00:12,500 But before we visit Professor Egeland and learn more about the rocket range, 4 00:00:12,500 --> 00:00:17,800 let's review the two math concepts for today's program, data analysis and measurement. 5 00:00:17,800 --> 00:00:22,900 Data analysis and measurement are two important math concepts to scientists and engineers. 6 00:00:22,900 --> 00:00:27,300 You see, before things can be analyzed, they must first be measured. 7 00:00:27,300 --> 00:00:31,200 Scientists and engineers take measurements so they can collect data. 8 00:00:31,200 --> 00:00:33,300 Think about what you measure every day. 9 00:00:33,300 --> 00:00:39,500 Length, volume, mass, or temperature, to name a few. 10 00:00:39,500 --> 00:00:44,700 Once scientists and engineers collect the data they need, then they must analyze that data. 11 00:00:44,700 --> 00:00:49,900 Scientists are constantly on the lookout for patterns that can help them understand how things work. 12 00:00:49,900 --> 00:00:53,800 By analyzing data, they can construct relationships among numbers 13 00:00:53,800 --> 00:00:57,000 and the scientific principles they are investigating. 14 00:00:57,000 --> 00:01:00,400 Now that you understand the importance of data analysis and measurement, 15 00:01:00,400 --> 00:01:02,800 let's go meet with Professor Alv Egeland. 16 00:01:06,200 --> 00:01:09,800 How is a magnetometer used to measure auroral activity? 17 00:01:09,800 --> 00:01:16,100 In analyzing the graph, what indicates a great disturbance in the Earth's magnetic field? 18 00:01:16,100 --> 00:01:20,000 How are sounding rockets useful to scientists and engineers? 19 00:01:22,200 --> 00:01:24,600 Professor Egeland, how are you? 20 00:01:24,700 --> 00:01:27,200 Fine, thank you. And how are you, Jennifer? 21 00:01:27,200 --> 00:01:30,500 I'm wonderful, I'm wonderful. This is Dr. Odenwald. 22 00:01:30,500 --> 00:01:31,200 Hello, Professor. 23 00:01:31,200 --> 00:01:33,100 Hello, Dr. Odenwald. Nice to meet you. 24 00:01:33,100 --> 00:01:34,400 Nice to meet you, too. 25 00:01:34,400 --> 00:01:39,100 You know, the Andoia Rocket Range is an exciting facility. Can you tell us more about it? 26 00:01:39,100 --> 00:01:46,200 Andoia Rocket Range is the furthest north permanent located rocket range 27 00:01:46,200 --> 00:01:50,100 where we launch rocket and scientific balloons. 28 00:01:50,100 --> 00:01:54,500 It's located here because it's just under the Royal Belt. 29 00:01:54,500 --> 00:02:00,800 And this is the place where we do all the launching of rockets and balloons from Norway. 30 00:02:00,800 --> 00:02:07,800 The range provides complete services for launch, operation, data acquisition, recovery, 31 00:02:07,800 --> 00:02:10,400 and ground instrumented support. 32 00:02:10,400 --> 00:02:16,800 Since 1962, more than 800 rockets have been launched from this range. 33 00:02:16,800 --> 00:02:24,200 We have also hosted scientists and engineers from more than 70 institutes and universities around the world. 34 00:02:24,200 --> 00:02:27,900 Professor, what kind of ground-based measurements do you take here at the range? 35 00:02:27,900 --> 00:02:31,400 Well, we take a lot of different measurements. 36 00:02:31,400 --> 00:02:35,700 But I think the most important is the recording of the Earth's magnetic field. 37 00:02:35,700 --> 00:02:39,700 And for that type of recording, we use a magnetometer. 38 00:02:39,700 --> 00:02:41,700 A magnetometer. 39 00:02:41,700 --> 00:02:46,700 Sounds like an instrument that measures magnets or maybe a magnetic field. 40 00:02:46,700 --> 00:02:49,200 You are on the right track, Jennifer. 41 00:02:49,200 --> 00:02:57,700 A magnetometer can be used to measure weak, short-term variation in the strength of the Earth's geomagnetic field. 42 00:02:57,700 --> 00:03:06,700 It was first used in the year 1800 by Alexander von Humboldt to study aurora and what he called magnetic storms. 43 00:03:06,700 --> 00:03:12,700 These variations are due to electric currents in the upper atmosphere. 44 00:03:13,200 --> 00:03:22,200 The electrons and ions flowing in from distant regions of the Earth's magnetic field cause currents to flow in the ionosphere 45 00:03:22,200 --> 00:03:25,200 and also cause the aurora currents. 46 00:03:25,200 --> 00:03:32,200 So a magnetometer measures a quantity that is directly related to the northern light. 47 00:03:32,200 --> 00:03:37,200 The stronger the magnetic variation, the higher the auroral activity. 48 00:03:37,200 --> 00:03:40,200 Professor, this is just one type of magnetometer, correct? 49 00:03:40,200 --> 00:03:42,200 That's correct, yes. 50 00:03:42,200 --> 00:03:45,200 How do you analyze the data that you collect from a magnetometer? 51 00:03:45,200 --> 00:03:50,700 What we do is really we reproduce some graphic representation. 52 00:03:50,700 --> 00:03:56,700 And if there is a big deviation from the local standard field, we call it a magnetic storm. 53 00:03:56,700 --> 00:04:02,700 And I just want to show you one example here of a big magnetic storm. 54 00:04:02,700 --> 00:04:08,700 And here you can really see big deviation from the local standard field. 55 00:04:09,200 --> 00:04:13,200 The following graph shows a relatively weak magnetic storm. 56 00:04:13,200 --> 00:04:18,200 The magnetometer measures the geomagnetic field along three axes. 57 00:04:18,200 --> 00:04:28,200 North-south or H-component, east-west or D-component, and up-down or Z-component. 58 00:04:28,200 --> 00:04:33,200 This graph is a magnetic field strength versus time plot. 59 00:04:33,200 --> 00:04:38,200 Now here is a plot of a relatively strong magnetic storm. 60 00:04:38,200 --> 00:04:42,200 Probably caused by a disturbance in the solar wind. 61 00:04:42,200 --> 00:04:45,700 What can we conclude from the two graphs? 62 00:04:45,700 --> 00:04:46,700 Hmm, let me see. 63 00:04:46,700 --> 00:04:50,700 The second graph shows more magnetic activity than the first graph. 64 00:04:50,700 --> 00:04:56,200 So I would say the more magnetic activity, the greater the auroral activity. 65 00:04:56,200 --> 00:04:58,200 That's correct, Yennefer. 66 00:04:58,200 --> 00:05:03,700 Notice in this section of the graph the deviations are at the maximum. 67 00:05:03,700 --> 00:05:10,200 If the night sky was clear, we can view the mysterious and beautiful aurora colors. 68 00:05:10,200 --> 00:05:19,200 Magnetometers located here at the range are continuously taking measurements of the local geomagnetic field. 69 00:05:19,200 --> 00:05:24,200 In fact, anyone from around the world can visit the following website 70 00:05:24,200 --> 00:05:31,200 to analyze the geomagnetic activity around the NDR rocket range. 71 00:05:31,200 --> 00:05:36,200 Professor, you mentioned that this facility is known for auroral research using sounding rockets. 72 00:05:36,200 --> 00:05:37,700 Yes, that's correct. 73 00:05:37,700 --> 00:05:41,700 As a matter of fact, that's the main purpose for the rocket range. 74 00:05:41,700 --> 00:05:46,200 We can study the aurora from the ground, but then we just look on the bottom aurora. 75 00:05:46,200 --> 00:05:51,200 If you study the aurora from a satellite, you just study the top of the aurora. 76 00:05:51,200 --> 00:05:56,700 But by using instrumented rocket, you can study the inside of the aurora. 77 00:05:56,700 --> 00:06:02,200 That's why sounding rocket is such a unique platform for auroral studies. 78 00:06:02,200 --> 00:06:08,200 Other instruments on the rocket register electric field and magnetic field 79 00:06:08,200 --> 00:06:16,200 and count particles coming into the atmosphere from distant parts of the Earth's magnetic field. 80 00:06:16,200 --> 00:06:21,200 Consequently, the energy that produces the northern light can be calculated. 81 00:06:21,700 --> 00:06:24,700 During an ordinary winter night in Norway, 82 00:06:24,700 --> 00:06:30,700 the northern light involves more energy than the country use in one year. 83 00:06:30,700 --> 00:06:37,700 A severe auroral storm can produce billions of joules of energy per second. 84 00:06:37,700 --> 00:06:40,700 Professor Egelund, thank you. We learned so much. 85 00:06:40,700 --> 00:06:42,700 It's really my pleasure. 86 00:06:42,700 --> 00:06:44,700 Thank you, too. 87 00:06:44,700 --> 00:06:46,700 Or as we say in Norway, 88 00:06:46,700 --> 00:06:49,700 Gleden var på min side. 89 00:06:50,200 --> 00:06:53,200 Okay, guys. Now it's time for a cue card review. 90 00:06:53,200 --> 00:06:57,200 How is a magnetometer used to measure auroral activity? 91 00:06:57,200 --> 00:07:03,200 In analyzing the graph, what indicates a great disturbance in the Earth's magnetic field? 92 00:07:03,200 --> 00:07:07,200 How are sounding rockets useful to scientists and engineers? 93 00:07:07,200 --> 00:07:10,200 So, did you get all the answers to the questions? 94 00:07:10,200 --> 00:07:12,200 Good. Now, let's review. 95 00:07:12,200 --> 00:07:16,200 We learned about the myths and legends surrounding the northern lights. 96 00:07:16,700 --> 00:07:22,700 And we also learned how ground-based instruments and sounding rockets are used to study the auroras. 97 00:07:22,700 --> 00:07:25,700 Now, we turn our focus to space. 98 00:07:25,700 --> 00:07:30,700 Later in the program, Dr. Nikki Fox will tell us how data analysis and measurement 99 00:07:30,700 --> 00:07:36,700 are used to study the auroras with the help of two NASA satellites, Polar and Timed. 100 00:07:36,700 --> 00:07:40,700 But first, STEM will give us the scoop on image.