GEM: Determination of the Boundary Conditions on the Ionospheric Electronic Potentials

本研究的最终目标是建立一个改进的极帽电离层电势模型。第一步将确定对流边界的位置，以及在不同的IMF方向和两类地磁活动下，电势在对流/电场反转边界周围的分布情况。解决这个问题被认为是发展更好的电离层等离子体对流模型的最关键的一步。DE-2上矢量电场仪的测量结果将用于获得边界位置和边界周围电位的数据库。数据将根据IMF方向和亚风暴活动进行排序，然后将使用一种创新但经过验证的数据拟合方法来确定对流边界的位置和作为磁本地时间函数的潜在分布。这些测量结果接下来将用作数值计算的初始边界条件，以产生电离层电势的合理模型。该项目的结果将用于检验GEM计划的全球地球空间环流模型（GGCM）的结果，并可能对GGCM代码的开发有用。拟议的研究也将有助于实现GEM计划亚风暴运动的目标。

The ultimate objective of the proposed research is to develop an improved model of the ionospheric electric potentials in the polar cap. The initial step will be to determine the locations of the convection boundaries, and how the electric potential is distributed around the perimeter of the convection/electric field reversal boundaries under different orientations of the IMF and two categories of geomagnetic activity. Solving this problem is perceived to be the most critical step towards the development of a better model of ionospheric plasma convection. Measurements from the Vector Electric Field Instrument on DE-2 will be used to obtain a data base of boundary locations and electric potentials around the boundaries. The data will be sorted according to IMF orientation and substorm activity, then an innovative but proven method of fitting the data will be used to determine the locations of the convection boundaries and potential distribution as a function of magnetic local time. These measurements will next be used as the initial boundary conditions for numerical calculations, to produce reasonable models of ionospheric electric potentials. The results of this project will be needed to check the results of the GEM Program's global geospace general circulation model (GGCM), and could be useful in the development of the GGCM code. The proposed research will also help to obtain the objectives of the GEM program's substorm campaign.