Collaborative Research: CEDAR--Study of Storm-time Large Scale Structures in the Subauroral Ionosphere with Coupled First-principles Model and Multi-instrument Observations

该项目将结合理论和经验建模工作，开发一个关于电离层、等离子体层和内部磁层系统的综合模型。这将通过将海军研究实验室电离层模型SAMI3与莱斯大学内部磁层代码RCM相结合来实现。使用麻省理工学院干草堆天文台的多仪器观测数据，模型数据比较将是模型开发的一个组成部分。一名研究生将在SAMI3和RCM的耦合方面与建模人员密切合作，并与实验人员密切合作，以熟练掌握多仪器数据分析技术。学生将接受电离层-热层-磁层系统的系统科学方法的全面教育。此外，本科生将通过麻省理工学院干草堆天文台的本科生研究体验(REU)项目参与这项研究。需要解决的关键物理问题是亚极光极化流(SAPS)流动通道的动力学和空间分布(特别是经向变化)以及地磁暴期间的风暴增强密度(SED)电离层密度特征。对SAPS/SED发展进行正确的第一性原理建模将有助于更好地理解涉及太阳-地球系统的电离层-热层-磁层(ITM)组成部分的连接性和因果关系。迫切需要改进对内磁层和亚极光电离层电场的时空结构的了解。

This project will combine theoretical and empirical modeling efforts to develop a comprehensive model of the ionosphere, plasmasphere, and inner magnetosphere system. This will be accomplished by coupling the Naval Research Laboratory ionosphere model, SAMI3, with the Rice University inner magnetosphere code, RCM. Model-data comparisons will be an integral part of the model development, using multi-instrument observational data from MIT Haystack Observatory. A graduate student will work closely with the modelers in the coupling of SAMI3 and RCM and also with experimentalists to gain proficiency in multi-instrument data analysis techniques. The student will receive a comprehensive education in the system science approach of the ionosphere-thermosphere-magnetosphere system. Additionally, undergraduate students will be involved in this research through the research experience for undergraduates (REU) program run at the MIT Haystack Observatory. The key physics issues to be addressed are the dynamics and spatial distribution (specifically longitudinal variations) of the sub-auroral polarization stream (SAPS) flow channels and the storm enhanced density (SED) ionospheric density features during geomagnetic storms. Correct first-principles modeling of the SAPS/SED development will provide a better understanding of the connectivities and causal relationships involving the ionosphere-thermosphere-magnetosphere (ITM) components of the Sun-Earth system. There is a crucial need for improved knowledge of the spatial/temporal structure of electric fields in the inner magnetosphere and subauroral ionosphere.