GEM: Statistical Analysis of Ring Current Plasma Sources

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This project will investigate the dynamics of the earth's ring current and how the dynamics relate to the various sources of charged particles that give rise to the ring current. The four major topics which will be addressed are: (1) the plasma properties at geosynchronous orbit as a function of solar wind parameters, (2) the significance of direct ion injection from the ionosphere into geosynchronous orbit, (3) the evolution of the Dst index (a measure of the magnetic perturbation on the ground due to the ring current) due to solar wind parameters and ionospheric-magnetospheric coupling, and (4) the connection between ionospheric ion outflow, the evolution of the ion density in the plasma sheet and the recovery phase of magnetic storms. The project will combine empirical modeling, statistical analysis and numerical simulations. Two new empirical models will be produced that will be useful for space physics and space weather modeling. A model of the inner plasma sheet will be developed which can be used to produce boundary conditions for ring current simulations. The second model will provide a relationship between Dst and the plasma source drivers which may be compared to numerical simulations.