Hisao Yamagishi reported on the results of a statistical analysis of 17 years of ELF/VLF observations at Syowa and Iceland. Hourly averages were used of data from ten channels covering the frequency range 0.35 - 90 kHz. Particularly highlighted were the higher levels found during sunlit ionospheric conditions (day time and polar summer). This is the opposite of what would be expected (increased ionisation in the D-region leading to enhanced absorption), and with what is observed at lower latitudes such as Halley.

Andy Smith presented work by BAS and collaborators at Augsburg College (Mark Engebretson and Alexa Halford). The study used ELF/VLF data from Halley, A80, A84, and South Pole. Evidence was presented to show that periodic emissions driven by echoing whistlers are associated with type-II QP (Quasi-periodic) VLF emissions with modulation frequencies in the range 10-100 mHz. Changes in ionospheric conductivity leading to field aligned currents and Alfvén waves which modulate the QPs provide a possible mechanism.

Janos Lichtenberger from the Eötvös University group, Hungary, described progress in the automatic detection of whistlers. Analogue methods had been shown not to work, particularly in the presence of spherics or when the signal-noise ratio is poor. A new technique he and his co-workers had developed used pattern recognition in spectrograms. Examples of its use on whistlers recorded at Tihany were impressive. Although some human intervention was still necessary, this was minimal compared with previous methods, which raises the possibility of providing routine plasmaspheric densities in near-real time from ground observatories.

Sandra Chapman presented the application of chaos theory to the problem of trapped and untrapped electrons in a VLF wave field. In the simplest case monochromatic waves were used, but the study was later extended to wave packets. At low wave amplitudes the electron orbits in phase space are well-behaved but as the wave amplitudes are increased, the trajectories interact and become more disordered.

Papers on whistler observations at Great Wall Station, Antarctica by Peng Feng-Lin and VLF phenomena at low latitudes by A.K. Gwal were not given as the speakers did not turn up.

Present: Andy Smith (UK) in the chair, David Boteler (Canada), S Fukao (Japan), Bob Horita (Canada), Arthur Hughes (South Africa), James LaBelle (USA), Craig Rodger (New Zealand), Michel Parrot (France), Jean Louis Rauch (France), Bob Schunk (USA), Jean-Gabriél Trotignon (France), Hisao Yamagishi (Japan).

Chairman's Report

Future of the working group

Reports from VERSIM research groups

UK. Andy Smith summarised the current VLF/ELF observations being made by British Antarctic Survey. Future plans included the decommissioning of the Automatic Geophysical Observatories between Halley and South Pole, and the setting up of a new global network, VELOXnet, to cover all local times at every UT.

Hungary. Janos Lichtenberger was unable stay for the meeting, but a report was presented on his behalf. The new ELF/VLF wave receiver SAS-2, developed by the Eötvös University group, now includes an automatic whistler detector. It was planned to fly the instrument on the KOMPAS, PRECURSOR, and VULCAN space missions. The aims were both traditional whistler research and new seismic event related work.

France. Michel Parrot briefly mentioned the DEMETER mission; an AO for this will be issued soon, for scientists wishing to participate. A new mission is TARANIS (the name of the thunder-god of ancient Gaul), an acronym translating to Tool for analysis of radiation from lightning and sprites. This will carry a range of optical and electromagnetic sensors, including X-ray and gamma ray detectors.

Japan. Hisao Yamagishi described a Polar Patrol balloon experiment. Four stratospheric balloons will be launched from Syowa station Antarctica beginning in December 2002. Designed to stay up for 2 weeks, they carry instruments to measure magnetic and electric fields, and ELF/VLF emissions. Data will be sent back to Antarctic ground stations using the Iridium satellite network. The mission is aimed at a study of the cusp. The ground based ELF/VLF observations are continuing at Syowa, where they have been carried out for 20 years. The instrumentation is now becoming old, and the future of the programme is being reviewed.

USA. LaBelle reported that the South Pole VLF beacon proposed by Stanford University (Umran Inan) had now been funded and was proceeding. A number of international partners will be involved in receiving the beacon signals.

New Zealand. Rodger gave a brief report on the recent meeting at Queenstown which focussed on the outer radiation belts. He mentioned the SCODAR VLF instrument which was currently running at Dunedin to observe whistler mode and subionospheric signals from VLF transmitters in the northern hemisphere; the new Chinese transmitter is now observable but the one in India is not sufficiently stable. A new long-range lightning detection network (TOGA) for the western Pacific is being commissioned. It is capable of locating lightning as far away as India. Scientific work on sprites and also on the ionospheric effects of solar flares (with BAS) is continuing.

South Africa. Hughes noted that measurements of VLF were continuing at Sanae beside magnetometer, radar and auroral observations. A conjugate sprite campaign between South Africa and France had been organised.

Symposia at future IAGA and URSI Assemblies.

URSI, Maastricht, 17-24 August 2002

IAGA, Sapporo, 30 June - 11 July 2003

SEVEM (Survey of ELF and VLF Experiments in the Magnetosphere)

Any other business

The meeting ended with thanks to the chairman expressed from the floor.