Distribution Patterns and Scale Sizes for Transient Events at Geosynchronous Orbit

太阳风和地球磁层之间的相互作用经常表现为磁场、等离子体和高能粒子参数的瞬态变化。 这类瞬变事件通常由位于向阳面磁层顶附近的航天器观测到。 拟议的研究是利用地球同步轨道上的航天器调查这些事件的分布模式和规模大小。 研究结果将提供从太阳风通过磁层到地球电离层的连接路径，以及关于这些事件衰减和演变的信息。 第一个目标是更好地了解昼侧磁层和电离层中瞬变磁特征之间的关系。 第二个目标是在1984年后期利用两个GOES航天器和AMPTE CCE的同时观测对磁层瞬态事件进行调查。 由于这一项目是对先前关于瞬变事件的运动和分布的工作的补充，因此，总体结果将是对磁层瞬变事件的性质进行全面调查，与首席研究员以前执行的项目一样，这项研究将涉及大学生的积极参与。 一个强有力的重点将放在学习和独立思考。 将强调研究在教育过程中的重要性。

The interaction between the solar wind and Earth's magnetosphere is often manifested by transient variations in magnetic field, plasma and energetic particle parameters. Such transient events are commonly observed by spacecraft in the vicinity of the dayside magnetopause. The proposed study is an investigation of the distribution patterns and the scale sizes of these events using spacecraft at geosynchronous orbit. The results will provide a connecting path from the solar wind through the magnetosphere to Earth's ionosphere as well as information on the decay and evolution of these events.The project has two primary objectives. The first objective is to obtain a better understanding of the relationship between transient magnetic signatures in the dayside magnetosphere and in the ionosphere. The second objective is an investigation of magnetospheric transient events using simultaneous observations by two GOES spacecraft and the AMPTE CCE during late 1984. Since this project is complementary to earlier work on the motion and distribution of transient events, the overall result will be a comprehensive survey of the properties of magnetospheric transient events.As with previous projects performed by the principal investigator, this study will involve the active participation of undergraduate students. A strong emphasis will be placed on learning and independent thinking. The importance of research in the educational process will be stressed.