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SunRISE Ground Radio Lab
  • +5
  • Mojtaba Akhavan-Tafti,
  • Shirsh Soni,
  • Charles Higgins,
  • Shing F. Fung,
  • Susan Lepri,
  • James Lux,
  • Joseph Lazio,
  • Andrew Romero-Wolf
Mojtaba Akhavan-Tafti
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Shirsh Soni
University of Michigan, 500 S State St, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
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Charles Higgins
Middle Tennessee State University
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Shing F. Fung
NASA Goddard SFC
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Susan Lepri
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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James Lux
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
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Joseph Lazio
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
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Andrew Romero-Wolf
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology
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Abstract

The Sun Radio Interferometer Space Experiment (SunRISE) Ground Radio Lab (GRL) is a Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) project aiming to engage and train the next generations of scholars. To achieve this, the project 1) recruited students to participate in the design, development, and testing of a simple antenna kit that were sent to high schools nationwide free of charge, 2) prepared online, self-paced training modules to educate students on topics including radio astronomy and space weather, and 3) recruited high schools to host antenna installations, participate in regular data collection and analysis campaigns, and engage in monthly webinars and Q&A sessions with space industry experts. GRL observation campaigns during the ongoing solar maximum have cataloged various solar radio bursts (SRB) types, defined as low-frequency radio emissions emanated by accelerated electrons associated with extreme solar activity, including solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs). Our observations indicate that 1) Type III radio bursts closely follow solar flares, with their intensity often matching the flare’s strength, helping to further our understanding of electron acceleration and propagation dynamics, and 2) Type II radio bursts coincide with geomagnetic disturbances caused by Earth-bound CMEs, aligned with established literature. Our community of high school students and mentors will continue to maintain our publicly available catalog of SRBs in support of the science objectives of SunRISE mission.