Walach, M-T and Soobiah, Y and Carter, J A and Whiter, D K and Kavanagh, A J and Hartinger, M D and Oksavik, K and Salzano, M L and Archer, M O (2024) SMILE Winter Campaign. RAS Techniques and Instruments. ISSN 2752-8200
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Abstract
This White Paper is highly topical as it relates to the upcoming Solar Wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer (SMILE) mission: SMILE is a joint mission between the European Space Agency and the Chinese Academy of Sciences and it aims to build a more complete understanding of the Sun-Earth connection by measuring the solar wind and its dynamic interaction with the magnetosphere. It is a fully funded mission with a projected launch in 2025. This paper outlines a plan for action for SMILE’s first northern hemisphere Winter Campaign using ground-based instruments. We outline open questions and which data and techniques can be employed to answer them. The science themes we discuss are: • Earth’s Magnetosheath, Magnetopause and Magnetic Cusp Impact on the Ionospheric Cusp Region; • Defining the Relationship Between Auroral Processes, Solar Wind and Magnetospheric Drivers; • Understanding the Interhemispheric Properties of the Earth’s Magnetosphere-Ionosphere System. We discuss open questions (different to the mission goals) which may be answered using existing ground-based instrumentation together with SMILE data to leverage the maximum scientific return of the mission during the first winter after launch. This paper acts as a resource for planning, and a call to collaborative action for the scientific community.