Auroral Mapping and Electrodynamics

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Space science has long sought the answer to the cause for different types of auroral structures and their occurrence at different times within the global magnetic activity. The research scientists in this program have in the past attempted to trace the effects of currents from the ionosphere near quiet time auroral structures into the magnetosphere using quiet time magnetic field models. This new project will use a more disturbed model of the magnetosphere to investigate more dynamic structures associated with the auroral substorm, such as auroral loops, poleward surges and omega bands. In addition, this new model will allow study of mapping effects produced by the diversion of cross-tail current to the ionosphere. These studies of the coupling between electron and ion currents in the inner magnetotail may help to unravel some of the physical processes that take place during the auroral substorm onset.