Key Parameter for the Mass and Energy Transfer at the Magnetopause Determined from Cusp Structures

由尖点结构确定的磁层顶质量和能量传递的关键参数

• 批准号: 1102572
• 负责人: Steven Petrinec
• 金额: $ 30.64万
• 依托单位: Lockheed-Martin Advanced Technology Center
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2012
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2012-10-01 至 2016-09-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1102572&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Key; Parameter; Mass; Energy; Transfer

This project will examine the processes that are involved with magnetic reconnection at the dayside magnetopause of the Earth. It will determine the relative occurrence of anti-parallel reconnection versus component reconnection as a function of the parameters of the solar wind that control the interaction. It will also examine the transition from one mode of reconnection to the other and will determine under what conditions magnetic reconnection becomes quasi-continuous and under what conditions it becomes intermittent. The project will analyze the nature of structures in the magnetic cusp using the low-velocity cutoff method to determine the location of the reconnection site. The data to be used in this study come from a number of space missions, in particular the European Space Agency's Cluster Mission and the NASA THEMIS mission.Magnetic reconnection at the magnetopuse is the dominant mechanism by which plasma mass and energy is transported from the solar wind into the magnetopause and eventually to the upper atmosphere. In order to provide quantitative predictions about the mass and energy transfer, several paramters need to be known as a function of the solar wind conditions. Among these parameters is the relative occurrence of anit-parallel reconnection versus component reconnection. In addition to the senior personnel involved with this research, during the summer months high school science teachers will participate in the project through the Industry Initiatives for Science and Math Education (IISME) program.

这个项目将研究与地球白天磁层顶的磁重联有关的过程。它将决定反平行重联和分量重联的相对发生，作为控制相互作用的太阳风参数的函数。它还将研究从一种重联模式到另一种重联模式的转变，并将确定在什么条件下磁重联会变成准连续的，在什么条件下它会变成间歇性的。该项目将使用低速截止方法分析磁尖结构的性质，以确定重连点的位置。本研究将使用的数据来自若干空间任务，特别是欧洲空间局的集群任务和美国宇航局的THEMIS任务。磁层的磁重联是等离子体质量和能量从太阳风传输到磁层顶并最终进入上层大气的主要机制。为了提供质量和能量传递的定量预测，需要知道几个参数作为太阳风条件的函数。在这些参数中，反并联重连接与组件重连接的相对发生率。除了参与这项研究的高级人员外，在夏季的几个月里，高中科学教师将通过科学和数学教育行业倡议（IISME）计划参与该项目。