Interplanetary Shock Three-Dimensional Tomography Based on Small Satellites

The propagation mechanism, observation, and modeling of interplanetary coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are the main challenges for space weather forecasting. The interplanetary shock low frequency radio interferometer with small satellites program is proposed. Small satellites carry the low frequency interferometer and spectrometer, and formation flying in the sun-synchronous earth orbit with 1000km height, to from an interference array which the virtual aperture is about 100 km. Based on the characteristic of the frequency drift of radio type II bursts, the interference array will take three-dimensional tomography for interplanetary shock on sun-to-earth direction from 0.1MHz-30MHz. The program will provide key information on particle acceleration mechanisms associated with CMEs and help scientists forecast space weather on sun-to-earth propagation. Eight daughter microsatellites fly around the mother satellites. GNSS differential positioning and clock synchronization are used to determine the intersatellite interferometric vectors between the mother satellite and daughter satellites. The weight of each small satellite is about 50kg.