Studies in Geospace Dynamics

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The objective of the proposed research is to understand the dynamics of the magnetosphere. Magnetospheric physics is at a critical juncture; research to be carried out in the next few years should lay bared the dominant mechanisms for coupling the ionized upper atmosphere to the solar wind on time scale as short as a few minutes. The science involved concerns more than the geophysical questions to be answered; the behavior of a cosmical plasma system is being investigated. Other less accessible examples of such systems are pulsars, radio galaxies and the solar atmosphere. The Investigators have a long term program of investigation of the magnetohydrodynamic processes that couple energy, momentum, and mass from the solar wind into the magnetosphere, ionosphere, and upper atmosphere. Towards this objective, both students and P.I.s will undertake a mix of theory, data analysis, and interpretation of computer simulations. In addition to contributing to understanding the fundamental processes that govern the magnetosphere, the work will be useful in such applications as monitoring and predicting naturally occuring hazards to earth orbiting spacecraft.