Overview:

Double Star follows in the footsteps of ESA's ground-breaking Cluster mission by studying the effects of the Sun on the Earth's environment. Conducting joint studies with Cluster and Double Star increases the overall scientific return from both missions.

Objectives:

• understand the transfer of solar wind plasma and energy through the various boundaries of the magnetosphere

• study the magnetic reconnection process at the magnetopause, in the magnetotail, and in the auroral zone

• understand the role of the small scale processes in the large scale plasma structures

• understand the substorm processes and locate the breakup point in the magnetotail

• study the geomagnetic storms and their effects on the magnetosphere and ionosphere

Experiments:

• ASPOC Active Spacecraft Potential Control

• FGM Fluxgate Magnetometer

• HIA Hot Ion Analyzer

• PEACE Plasma Electron and Current Experiment

• STAFF/DWP Spatio-Temporal Analysis of Field Fluctuations and Digital Wave Processor

• NUADU Neutral Atom Detection Unit