NSWP: Investigation of the Plasma Source for Storm Enhanced Densities and its Relationship to Sub-auroral Polarization Stream (SAPS)

在大磁暴期间观测到了风暴增强密度（SED），并与亚极光偏振流（SAPS）密切相关。 关于这些现象的许多现有信息来自于在空间或时间上覆盖范围有限的观测。 因此，这些数据无法提供现象的完整图像，也无法解决潜在的物理问题。 本研究项目将尝试用内磁层和热层-电离层-等离子体磁层系统的自洽耦合模型模拟SEDs和SAPS，以便更好地了解电离层和等离子体磁层中等离子体的风暴时间再分布。 这里使用的耦合模型包括所有的风暴时间的驱动程序，并模拟热层，电离层和等离子体的后续响应。 该模型的一个特别值得注意的特点是，它明确包括环电流和电离层之间的相互作用过程，产生的SAPS。 该模型包括一个现实的磁场，这将使电离层动态和电动力学的纵向依赖性得到解决，特别是关于美国经度部门是否是独特的问题。 三个具体的研究课题是：调查的等离子体源的SEDs，高度耦合的SEDs和SAPS，和减少电导率和SAPS电场之间的相互作用。 将对观测结果进行广泛的模型验证，特别是对总电子含量的梯度，以及对电场和负责产生SED的全球等离子体传输的全面分析。 五个特殊的地磁风暴将是调查的重点。 这些事件发生在2000年至2005年，并已成为若干出版物的主题。 调查的更广泛影响包括对热层和电离层对磁暴的反应的新见解，这是空间气象方案的一个目标，以及对磁层-电离层耦合的更好理解。 该项目可能有助于提高对总电子含量梯度的预测能力，这在空间气象方面具有重要的应用，如用于商用飞机导航的全球定位系统和广域增强系统。 该项目由一名研究生涯刚开始的女科学家领导。

Storm Enhanced Densities (SEDs) have been observed during major magnetic storms and have been strongly associated with sub-auroral polarization streams (SAPS). Much of the information that is available about these phenomena originates from observations with limited coverage in space or time. These data therefore cannot provide a complete picture of the phenomena nor address the underlying physics. This research project will attempt to model the SEDs and SAPS with a self-consistently coupled model of the inner magnetosphere and thermosphere-ionosphere-plasmasphere system in order to better understand the storm-time redistribution of plasmas in the ionosphere and plasmasphere. The coupled model used here includes all the storm-time drivers and simulates the subsequent response of the thermosphere, ionosphere, and plasmasphere. A particular noteworthy feature of the model is that it explicitly includes the interaction processes between the ring current and the ionosphere that produces the SAPS. The model includes a realistic magnetic field that will enable the longitudinal dependence of the ionospheric dynamics and electrodynamics to be addressed, in particular with regards to the question of whether the American longitude sector is unique. Three particular research topics to be pursued are: investigation of the plasma source of the SEDs, the altitude coupling of the SEDs and SAPS, and the interaction between reduced conductivities and the SAPS electric field. Extensive model validation against observations will be done, particularly for the gradients in total electron content, as well as comprehensive analysis of the electric fields and the global plasma transport responsible for producing SEDs. Five particular geomagnetic storms will be the focus of the investigation. These occurred from 2000 to 2005 and have been the subject of several publications. The broader impacts of the investigation include new insights into the response of the thermosphere and ionosphere to magnetic storms, a goal of the Space Weather Program, as well as improved understanding of magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling. The project may help lead to a predictive capability for gradients in total electron content which has important Space Weather applications such as for GPS and Wide Area Augmentation Systems (WAAS) used for navigation of commercial aircraft. The project is being led by a female scientist near the beginning of her research career.