Theory and Simulations of Ionosphere-Magnetosphere Coupling Dynamics

极光研究的一个重要部分是了解 极光流系统的产生和加速 极光电子（负责极光发射， 可以在地面上看到）。 该基金将解决三个不同的问题 但是与耦合有关的相关主题， 磁层-电离层系统的能量学和动力学 以及阿尔芬波引起的极光加速过程。 的 第一个主题是调查电离层空腔及其 与极光弧破裂的关系 第二个主题是 低纬边界切变流发生器的耦合 极光电离层。 第三个主题是 极光电子新机制研究 由于阿尔芬波破碎的加速度。 这些调查 将主要通过流体模拟进行， 流体模型，虽然混合动力学模拟将用于 第三个话题。

An important part of auroral research is to understand the generation of the auroral current systems and the acceleration of auroral electrons (responsible for the auroral emissions which can be seen on the ground). This grant addresses three separate but related topics which are concerned with the coupling, energetics, and dynamics of the magnetosphere-ionosphere system and the auroral acceleration process due to Alfven waves. The first topic is an investigation of the ionospheric cavity and its relationship to auroral arc breakup. The second topic is the coupling of the shear flow generator at the low latitude boundary layer to the auroral ionosphere. The third topic is an investigation of a new mechanism for auroral electron acceleration due to Alfven wave breaking. These investigations will be carried out primarily through fluid simulations using fluid models though a hybrid kinetic simulation will be used for the third topic.