CAREER: Understanding Radiation Belt Electron Fast, Deep Injections in the Inner Magnetosphere

这个CAREER项目的重点是地球的辐射带，那里充满了高能电子，对在其中运行的航天器来说是一个危险的辐射环境。了解辐射带电子的动力学具有科学意义和实际需要。高能电子深注入被认为是内带的主要来源；然而，造成这种深度注射的机制尚不清楚。该项目旨在建立一个以理解高能电子快速、深度注入和空间辐射环境为中心的综合研究和教育计划，并增加历史上代表性不足的群体学生对空间物理的参与。该项目将支持一名早期职业女性教师进行研究、推广和教育工作，并在研究和教育活动中培训研究生和本科生。教育部分包括支持针对代表性不足群体的6-12年级学生的各种外展项目，使用互动和适应性学习模块，使用循证科学教学策略重新设计空间物理课程，并指导本科生和研究生进行研究和教育活动。总之，这些活动将吸引从六年级到研究生水平的学生，特别是女学生和那些在STEM领域历史上代表性不足的群体的学生，激发空间物理方面的学习经验，并对STEM管道产生积极影响。本项目的总体研究目标是系统地研究辐射带电子（100 keV）在磁层内快速、深度注入的特性，并量化大规模准静态电场对这些注入的作用。综合教育的目标是通过让历史上代表性不足的群体的学生参与激发空间物理学习经验来改善STEM管道。主要研究三个方面的问题：1)利用多航天器观测研究1000s keV电子快速深注入特性及其与太阳风/地磁条件和大尺度准静态电场的关系；2)利用事件特异性建模，量化大规模电场在100千伏电子快速深度注入中的作用；3)开发一个关于空间辐射环境和空间天气影响的互动和适应性学习模块，通过面向历史上代表性不足群体的6-12年级学生的外展项目进行传播，并整合到使用循证科学教学策略重新设计的本科/研究生课程中。这些目标将通过多航天器对高能电子和电场的观测、特定事件的建模以及为各种外联和教育活动开发空间辐射环境学习模块来实现。该项目的成功完成将大大有助于我们对内部辐射带形成的理解，促进准静态电场在辐射带动力学中长期被忽视但至关重要的作用，并对STEM管道产生积极影响。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This CAREER project focuses on Earth’s radiation belts, which are populated with energetic electrons and present a hazardous radiation environment for spacecraft operating within. Understanding the dynamics of radiation belt electrons is of scientific interest and practical need. Energetic electron deep injection is believed to be the dominant source of the inner belt; however, the mechanism causing such deep injections is still unclear. This project aims to establish an integrated program of research and education centered on understanding energetic electron fast, deep injections and space radiation environment and increasing the involvement of students from historically underrepresented groups in space physics. This project will support an early-career female faculty member in research, outreach, and education efforts and train graduate and undergraduate students in both research and education activities. The education component involves support for various outreach programs targeted at 6-12th grade students from underrepresented groups using an interactive and adaptive learning module, redesigning a space physics course using evidence-based scientific teaching strategies, and mentoring undergraduate and graduate students in both research and education activities. Together, these activities will engage students from 6th grade to graduate level, especially female students and those from historically underrepresented groups in STEM, in inspiring learning experiences in space physics and positively impact the STEM pipeline. The overarching research goal of this project is to systematically investigate the characteristics of radiation belt electron (100s of keV) fast, deep injections in the inner magnetosphere and quantify the role of large-scale, quasi-static electric fields on these injections. The integrated education goal is to improve the STEM pipeline by engaging students from historically underrepresented groups in inspiring learning experiences in space physics. Three objectives to be addressed include: 1) Investigate the characteristics of 100s of keV electron fast, deep injections and their relation to the solar wind/geomagnetic conditions and large-scale, quasi-static electric fields using multispacecraft observations; 2) Quantify the role of large-scale electric fields in 100s of keV electron fast, deep injections using event-specific modeling; and 3) Develop an interactive and adaptive learning module on space radiation environment and space weather impacts to disseminate via outreach programs targeting 6-12th grade students from historically underrepresented groups and integrate into an undergraduate/graduate course redesigned using evidence-based scientific teaching strategies. These objectives will be achieved through multispacecraft observations of energetic electrons and electric fields, event-specific modeling, and developing a learning module on space radiation environment for various outreach and educational activities. The successful completion of this project will significantly contribute to our understanding of the inner radiation belt formation, promote the long-neglected but critical role of quasi-static electric fields in radiation belt dynamics, and positively impact the STEM pipeline.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.