›7th Bienniel VLF/ELF Remote Sensing of the Ionosphere and Magnetosphere (VERSIM) Symposium

Radiation Belt working group description: The radiation belt sciences community has been holding a series of international, discussion-oriented workshops that can be traced back at least to the 1994 Taos Workshop on the Earth’s Trapped Particle Environment. The focus of these workshops has been on observations, theory, and modeling of the Van Allen radiation belts and the other plasma populations and processes that influence radiation belt dynamics. The most recent was the 2015 International Workshop on Energetic Particle Process of the Near Earth Space (IWEPPNES) where participants expressed a strong desire to meet again in 2016 maintain momentum and vitality in the field.

Recognizing the strong synergy between radiation belt and VERSIM science the organizers of both meetings have decided to attach several days of radiation belt discussions to the meeting in Hermanus. The main subjects will be near-Earth dynamics as a function of space, time, and energy; wave-particle processes; and interactions among different inner magnetosphere particle populations.

VERSIM working group description: The working group on VLF/ELF Remote Sensing of the Ionosphere and Magnetosphere (VERSIM) is an international group of scientists interested in studying the behaviour of the magnetosphere and ionosphere by means of ELF (300 Hz - 3 kHz) and VLF (3-30 kHz) radio waves, both naturally and artificially generated. The group was set up in 1975 by IAGA (International Association of Geomagnetism and Aeronomy) and URSI (International Union of Radio Science), as described in the working group history. Originally the emphasis was on probing of the magnetosphere by whistlers, but later the scope became somewhat broader. The group aims to promote research in this field by facilitating the exchange of ideas, information and experience between active research workers and other interested scientists. This is done through regular meetings at IAGA and URSI Assemblies, a regular VERSIM community workshop, and via the circulation of a newsletter. The group has also been active in sponsoring scientific symposia at IAGA and URSI Assemblies, in areas relevant to its field of interest, and in coordinating observational campaigns. At present the main subjects of interest include Plasma structures and boundaries - morphology and dynamics, Wave-particle and wave-wave interactions, Wave-induced particle precipitation, Wave propagation in magnetosphere and ionosphere, Sprites and the effects of lightning on the ionosphere. There are currently over 100 scientists from about 26 different countries on the VERSIM mailing list.