Social contribution Observing Planet Earth and the Space from Antarctica UA-2 Recent developments in the Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition National Institute of Polar Research Research Organization of Information and Systems, Inter-University Research Institute Corporation 10-3, Midori-cho, Tachikawa-shi, Tokyo 190-8518 Tel: +81-42-512-0655 Fax: +81-42-528-3105 http://www.nipr.ac.jp/english/ Email: [email protected] © National Institute of Polar Research, 2014 New systems developed in this experiment, such as a natural energy power supply system and an iridium satellite telecommunications system for long-duration automatic observation, can be applied to systems for information exchange in less developed areas lacking adequate social infrastructure. Observation of high-energy cosmic-ray electrons Study of source mechanism in deep space High-energy cosmic-ray electrons with energy of 1 TeV coming from supernova remnants or pulsars were successfully observed for the first time. About 100 events were observed at altitudes above 35 km for 13 days. Launching a Polar Patrol Balloon at Syowa Station. left: Launching of payload for auroral observation. right: Temporal variation in auroral X-rays at 1 minute intervals. Trajectories of Polar Patrol Balloons for auroral observation. Polar Patrol Balloon experiment Frontier science with most advanced technology Long-duration observations lasting more than 25 days at altitudes above 32 km were successfully carried out with a maximum 500 kg payload aboard big balloons with a maximum 90 m diameter. New advanced systems such as automatic altitude control, long-duration power supply and telecommunications with iridium satellites were developed. Direction of arrival Direction of arrival X axis Z axis Y axis Image of “cosmic-ray shower” by cosmic-ray electrons. Observation of auroral phenomena Auroral X-ray and electro-magnetic field in the stratosphere Synthetic observations of auroral phenomena using five instruments (auroral X-ray, VLF wave, electric field, magnetic field, and ionospheric electron density) were carried out by two stratospheric balloons floating closely together. Temporal variations in auroral X-ray images were observed for the first time. Syowa Station Balloon No.8 Balloon No.10 Antarctica South Pole Observations of aurora and cosmic rays by stratospheric balloons floating around Antarctica Space