Faculty Career Development Including Kinetic Physics of the Magnetotail and Teaching Enhancement

该提案旨在支持首席研究员在明尼苏达大学物理与天文学院担任新教员时的早期职业发展。 这个职位需要在科学研究，教学，课程开发和社区推广活动卓越。 该提案的研究部分侧重于地球磁尾的动力学物理学，包括数据分析、数值研究以及对磁层各种理论模型的投入和比较。 以前对磁尾电场数据的研究表明，磁场的可变部分通常比背景场大一到两个数量级。 这些可变的字段，包括波和大幅度的尖峰，将有很大的影响粒子的分布已在初步的数值研究。 建议使用ISEE-1和Geotail航天器的数据对波和尖峰的参数进行统计表征。 研究结果将用于提供经验耗散系数，用于MHD模拟和全球模型，并开发一个更现实的电场模型，用于磁尾粒子轨迹的数值研究。 然后将把粒子分布与AMPTE/AMTEX航天器上观测到的粒子分布（以及其他等离子体数据）进行比较。 作为这种比较的一部分，在等离子体片边界处观察到的复杂分布的性质将被检查，包括慢模式冲击中的电子束加速和极光区/极冠对流边界的映射位置等影响。 教育部分将主要集中在两个领域，这两个领域对物理和天文学学院都具有非常高的优先级。 首先是在较低的物理与微积分类，这是工程师，物理学家和化学家的主要入门物理类，每季度约1200名学生的改进。 目前正在努力修改这门课程并为这门课程进行助教培训。 第二是将本科生纳入研究，这一直是PI的长期优先事项。 此外，还有许多正在进行的项目，包括当地努力改善K-12科学教学，开发新的本科课程，以及与PI将参与的社区分享物理研究兴奋的外展活动，特别是在提案的后期。

This proposal is designed to support the early career development of the Principal Investigator in her position as a new faculty member in the School of Physics and Astronomy of the University of Minnesota. This position requires both excellence in scientific research, excellence in teaching, course development, and community outreach activities. The research component of the proposal is focused on the kinetic physics of the Earth's magnetotail, including data analysis, numerical studies, and both inputs to and comparisons with various theoretical models of the magnetosphere. Previous studies of electric field data in the magnetotail have shown that the variable part of the field is usually one to two orders of magnitude larger than the background field. These variable fields, including waves and large amplitude spikes, will have a large effect on particle distributions as has been shown in preliminary numerical studies. It is proposed to characterize statistically the parameters of the waves and spikes using data from the ISEE-1 and Geotail spacecraft. The results will be used to provide empirical dissipation coefficients for use in MHD simulations and global models and to develop a more realistic electric field model for inclusion in the numerical study of particle trajectories in the magnetotail. The particle distributions will then be compared to those observed on the AMPTE/IRM spacecraft (as well as other plasma data). As part of this comparison, the nature of the complex distributions observed at the plasma sheet boundary will be examined including effects such as acceleration of electron beams in slow mode shocks and the mapped location of the auroral zone/polar cap convection boundary. The educational component will be focused primarily in two areas, both of which have very high priority for the School of Physics and Astronomy. The first is improvement in the lower division physics with calculus class which is the main introductory physics clas s for engineers, physicists, and chemists with approximately 1200 students per quarter. Modification of this course and TA training for the course are an ongoing effort. The second is inclusion of undergraduates in research which has been a longstanding priority for the PI. In addition, there are many ongoing projects including local efforts to improve K-12 science teaching, development of new undergraduate courses, and outreach activities to share the excitement of physics research with the community in which the PI will participate, particularly in the later years of the proposal.