M-I Coupling: Geospace Environment Modeling (GEM) Investigation of Field-Aligned Ionospheric Plasma Transport at Polar Latitudes

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This proposed project will utilize a combination of advanced modeling and analysis of observations to investigate magnetosphere-ionosphere mass exchange along high-latitude magnetic field lines. The Dynamic Fluid-Kinetic (DyFK) model combines a moment-based fluid treatment for the 120-1000 km region with a Generalized SemiKinetic (GSK) treatment of the region from 800 km altitude out to several earth radii. The project will investigate the coupling of F-region, topside and lower magnetospheric physical and chemical processes involved in the outflow (and return downflow) of ionospheric ions along high-latitude magnetic field lines. Two of the primary areas of the simulation investigation will be: (1) The systematic and detailed simulation of the dynamics of the O+/H+ collisional-to-collisionless transition region, and (2) the investigation of molecular ion production, loss and transport. Observational data from the Dynamics Explorer-2 satellite, the DMSP spacecraft, and incoherent scatter radars will be used to measure F-region/topside ionospheric parameters such as field-aligned flows, ion and electron temperatures, and densities. The observational data will be compared with the simulations to test the model predictions. The project will support graduate student training and postdoctoral researcher training. In addition, the results will have a societal impact by advancing our ability to predict space weather.