GEM: The Role of Magnetosheath Pressure Balance in Magnetosphere-Ionosphere Coupling and Alfven Wing Formation

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This proposal will investigate the role of solar wind (magnetosheath) plasma under low-beta and sub-nominal solar wind Alfvén Mach number (3) conditions. The magnetosphere under these conditions is frequently called an Alfvén Wing magnetosphere. The research will use the Coupled Magnetosphere-Ionosphere-Thermosphere (CMIT) model which includes the Lyon-Fedder-Mobarry (LFM) MHD model coupled with the Thermosphere-Ionosphere-Electrodynamics General Circulation Model (TIE_GCM) along with solar wind (OMNI), magnetosheath (Cluster and Geotail) and ionospheric (AMPERE and SuperDARN) data to investigate the effects of solar wind pressure, ionospheric conductivity and dipolar tilt on the transport of open magnetic flux and field aligned current generation in the polar cap. By examining the data and carrying out simulations for this newly discovered state of the magnetosphere they will determine how the configuration and dynamics of the lobes are controlled by Mach number and plasma beta, how the beta and Mach number control field aligned currents and flow and how important the dipole tilt is for the polar cap configuration and dynamics. This proposal will support a young scientist. It has relevance to space weather.