Collaborative Research: GEM--Asymmetric Entry and Transport of Magnetospheric Plasma During Periods of Northward Interplanetary Magnetic Field

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This project will investigate the transport of plasma from the solar wind into and through Earth's magnetosphere during intervals when the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) has a northward orientation. During periods of northward IMF the plasma within Earth's plasma sheet often is characterized by having two components, one hot and one relatively cold. The cold component has a somewhat higher temperature on the dawn flank of the magnetosphere than on the dusk side and this suggests that the mechanism by which plasma enters the magnetosphere is not symmetric. This project will use kinetic plasma simulations with the PLAsma Transport Numerical Magnetosphere Model (PLATNUMM) to investigate the plasma entry and transport mechanism. The plasma simulations will be done using realistic magnetic and electric field models for northward IMF conditions. The project will characterize the plasma phase space densities that develop in the layer connecting the magnetosphere with the magnetosheath. The results of the simulation will be compared with observations of the plasma from spacecraft. In addition, the project will simulate the plasma circulation within the plasma sheet in order to understand the asymmetries observed in the large-scale features.Although periods of northward IMF are typically not periods of strong magnetic activity it is important to understand the evolution of the magnetically quiet times because they form the initial conditions that determine the dynamics of the magnetosphere during magnetically disturbed times. Understanding the transition from magnetically quiet to disturbed times is important for our understanding of space weather phenomena that can impact humans and human engineered systems. Much of the research will be carried out by a female graduate student and the project involves a collaboration between a university research program at UCLA and an independent research and development center (Aerospace Corporation).