EclipseMob 2.0: Developing a Distributed Support Model for a Build-Your-Own Instrument Citizen Science Experiment

Abstract:

During the 2017 Total Solar Eclipse, the EclipseMob 1.0 citizen science project engaged over 150 participants to build their own radio receiver systems to collect low frequency radio data before, during, and after the eclipse. The goal of the large geographic scale experiment was to better understand the ionosphere changes during a rapid shift from light to dark. Citizen science projects that ask participants to build their own data collection instruments are uncommon due to debugging and data collection challenges. EclipseMob 1.0 participants were able to build working receivers, but due to a technical issue with the receiver design, the data they collected was not usable. Asking participants to build –their own instrument as part of the project resulted in several key challenges for future experiment iterations: access to local just-in-time technical build/test support; need for a low tech, user-friendly way to test the instrument once built; and program planning support for participants who were engaging as leaders of a local groups participating in EclipseMob 1.0, e.g., school or library groups.

In preparation for the 2024 total solar eclipse, EclipseMob 2.0 development is underway with a goal of reaching roughly 1000 participants. EclipseMob 2.0 features both a redesigned and tested receiver system and a redesigned infrastructure plan for supporting participants across the United States and beyond. Informed by the analysis of challenges faced in EclipseMob 1.0, EclipseMob 2.0 leverages a distributed support model that recruits and trains local leaders across the targeted geographic area of the experiment and provides a centralized just-in-time support center. An overview of the EclipseMob 2.0 experiment and the details of this new distributed support model will be presented.