Physics Modeling of Solar Wind Driven Storms and Substorms in the Earth's Magnetosphere-Ionosphere System

地球磁层-电离层系统中太阳风驱动风暴和亚暴的物理模拟

• 批准号: 0964692
• 负责人: Wendell Horton
• 金额: $ 36.36万
• 依托单位: University of Texas at Austin
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2010
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2010-06-15 至 2014-05-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0964692&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Physics; Modeling; Solar; Wind; Driven

This project will examine how Earth's magnetosphere-ionosphere system reacts to the high-speed plasma wind streaming from the Sun. It will extend the mathematical model called WINDMI to describe the storage and release of energy in multiple reservoirs for plasma trapped in the magnetosphere. It will develop a theoretical description for the dynamics of the supersonic solar wind plasma energy, through the magnetosphere to the high-density cold ionospheric plasma. The model will be by projecting the ideal MHD continuum equations and the more accurate kinetic theory equations onto the currents and plasma components of the driven magnetospheric magnetic components. The projections will lead to a set of coupled differential equations for the key plasma currents, densities, and temperatures. New physics components will be developed for the dayside of the magnetosphere. The dayside physics has a collisionless bow shock that reduces the supersonic flow to subsonic, while compressing the plasma and the embedded interplanetary magnetic field. A complex set of plasma currents control the plasmas in the magnetosphere and in the magnetopause boundary layer. The model will use kinetic theory calculations to describe the boundary layers and the mechanism for how the plasma is heated. The model will integrate diverse aspects of the plasma physics of the magnetosphere-ionosphere system and use scientific computing to derive real-time dynamics for the system. The model will predict the magnetic field that are used to define magnetic storms and substorms. These predictions will be compared with observations to validate the model. The research is of intrinsic scientific interest in its investigation of the interaction of supersonic plasma winds with dipole magnetic obstacles. It also has societal relevance by providing a new tool for forecasting the occurrence of dangerous space weather storms. Much of the research will be performed by graduate students and the project therefore has significant educational benefits.

这个项目将研究地球的磁层-电离层系统如何对来自太阳的高速等离子体风做出反应。它将扩展称为WINDMI的数学模型，以描述困在磁层中的等离子体在多个储层中的能量储存和释放。它将对超音速太阳风等离子体能量的动力学进行理论描述，通过磁层到高密度冷电离层等离子体。该模型将通过将理想的MHD连续统方程和更精确的动力学理论方程投影到驱动磁层磁分量的电流和等离子体分量上。这些预测将引出一组关于关键等离子体电流、密度和温度的耦合微分方程。新的物理组件将被开发用于磁层的白天。昼侧物理有一个无碰撞的弓形激波，可以将超音速流减少到亚音速，同时压缩等离子体和嵌入的行星际磁场。一组复杂的等离子体电流控制着磁层和磁层顶边界层中的等离子体。该模型将使用动力学理论计算来描述边界层和等离子体加热的机制。该模型将整合磁层-电离层系统的等离子体物理的各个方面，并使用科学计算来推导系统的实时动力学。该模型将预测用于定义磁暴和亚暴的磁场。这些预测将与观测结果进行比较，以验证模型。研究超声速等离子体风与偶极子磁障的相互作用具有内在的科学意义。它还具有社会意义，为预测危险空间天气风暴的发生提供了一种新的工具。大部分研究将由研究生进行，因此该项目具有显著的教育效益。