Solar Wind - Magnetosphere - Ionosphere Coupling

本项目将利用磁流体动力学（MHD）模拟太阳风与地球磁层的相互作用，研究系统从正常状态到磁暴状态再回到正常状态的动力学过程。以前，人们认为磁暴的特征是一系列快速的磁亚暴，但磁层及其当前系统的基本结构保持不变。最近的研究表明，风暴时磁层中电流系统的形态可能与通常的结构大不相同。除了MHD模拟之外，该项目还将利用来自高纬度地区穿越磁层顶的各种卫星的数据。该项目还将利用DMSP卫星和其他地面数据获得的跨极帽电位测量值，以确定极帽电位下降是否显示了本文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.