Can we expect results that relate more closely to our daily lives ?

There are many possible results. It will soon be possible to estimate the orbit and life span of satellites more accurately. Some satellites inhabit the thin atmosphere under the thermosphere. Temperature and density changes found here influence the satellite's air resistance. If the changes in the thermosphere are known, the orbit and life span of a satellite can be estimated more accurately.
A better example may simply be aurora tourism. A more accurate auroral forecast -- one that tells when and where the aurora can be seen -- may be possible in the near future. This way, there will be less cases of people being disappointed because they hardly see the aurora after paying large traveling expenses to view it.
Presently, there is a new movement to construct a network of observation instruments, including an ASC, for atmospheric observation on a global scale. Since the more data we have, the more useful it is for research, I hope this plan will be realized as soon as possible. Moreover, there is also a plan in progress to observe the upper atmosphere and plasma around the earth -- not only from the ground, but also by utilizing satellites. With so much happening at once, results from our research should be just around the corner. Look forward to it.

• "National Institute of Polar Research (NIPR)" Official Site (in Japanese language only)

Posted April 2004