Solar Wind - Magnetosphere - Ionosphere Coupling

该项目将利用太阳风与地球磁层相互作用的磁流体动力学(MHD)模拟来研究系统从正常状态到磁暴状态再到正常状态的动力学。以前，人们认为磁暴的特征是一系列快速的磁亚暴，但磁层及其电流系统的基本配置保持不变。最近的研究表明，磁层中电流系统的风暴时间形态可能与通常的配置有很大不同。除了MHD模拟，该项目还将利用跨越高纬度磁层顶的各种卫星的数据。该项目还将利用从DMSP卫星获得的交叉极冠电位测量和其他地面数据，以确定极冠电位降是否显示这里将要研究的模型所预测的饱和效应。

This project will utilize Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations of the interaction of the solar wind with the Earth's magnetosphere to study the dynamics by which the system changes from its normal condition to the magnetic storm condition and then back to the normal state. Previously it was thought that magnetic storms were characterized by a rapid series of magnetic substorms, but that the basic configuration of the magnetosphere and its current systems remained the same. More recent studies have suggested that the storm-time morphology of the electrical current systems in the magnetosphere may be quite different from the usual configuration. In addition to MHD simulations, the project will utilize data from a variety of satellites that cross the magnetopause at high latitudes. The project will also utilize measurements of the cross polar cap potential obtained from the DMSP satellites and other ground-based data, to determine if the polar cap potential drop shows the saturation effect that is predicted by the model to be investigated here.