Auroral Mapping and Electrodynamics

空间科学长期以来一直在寻找不同类型极光结构的原因及其在全球磁活动中不同时间出现的原因。参与该计划的研究科学家过去曾试图使用平静时间磁场模型追踪从平静时间极光结构附近的电离层进入磁层的电流的影响。这个新项目将使用一个更具扰动的磁层模型来研究与极光亚暴有关的更动态的结构，如极光环、极地涌浪和欧米伽带。此外，这一新模型将能够研究交叉尾流向电离层转移所产生的映射效应。这些对内部磁尾中电子和离子电流之间的耦合的研究可能有助于解开极光亚暴爆发期间发生的一些物理过程。

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.