Large-scale structure of Earth's magnetosphere

地球磁场在太阳风中形成一个空腔，称为磁层；太阳风和磁层之间的相互作用是近地空间动力学的最终原因，包括辐射带强度的变化和最壮观的极光（北极光和南极光）的展示。这些相互作用的性质取决于与太阳风相关的磁场方向（行星际磁场，简称IMF）；国际货币基金组织的“向南”方向（与地球磁场相反）对许多磁层过程是有利的，但国际货币基金组织的方向是高度可变的，相比之下，人们对国际货币基金组织向北条件下的磁层动力学知之甚少。考虑到即将在2025年发射的欧洲/中国联合任务SMILE（太阳风磁层电离层链路探测器），对磁层大尺度结构和动力学的研究是非常及时的。该项目将结合天基观测（例如来自Cluster、THEMIS和ARTEMIS任务的原位等离子体观测）和地面观测（来自电离层雷达，如SuperDARN联盟和欧洲非相干散射雷达，EISCAT）来研究磁层的大规模结构。可能的主题包括：磁层“尖端”的空间范围，以及它如何取决于太阳风条件；与北向IMF条件有关的磁层结构；和/或时变磁重联的本质，它将太阳风与磁层耦合在一起。

The Earth's magnetic field forms a cavity in the solar wind called the magnetosphere; the interaction between the solar wind and the magnetosphere is ultimately responsible for the dynamics of near-Earth space, including variations in the intensity of the radiation belts and the most spectacular displays of the aurora (the northern and southern lights). The nature of these interactions depends on the orientation of the magnetic field associated with the solar wind (the interplanetary magnetic field, or IMF); a "southward" orientation of the IMF (opposite to the Earth's magnetic field) is preferential for many magnetospheric processes, but the IMF direction is highly variable, and the dynamics of the magnetosphere under northward IMF conditions are, in comparison, poorly understood. Study of the large-scale structure and dynamics of the magnetosphere is highly timely, given the upcoming joint European/Chinese mission SMILE (Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionospheric Link Explorer, expected to launch in 2025). This project will use a combination of space-based observations (e.g. in situ plasma observations from the Cluster, THEMIS and ARTEMIS missions) and ground-based observations (from ionospheric radars such as the SuperDARN consortium and the European Incoherent Scatter radar, EISCAT) to investigate the large-scale structure of the magnetosphere. Possible topics include: the spatial extent of the magnetospheric "cusps", and how that may depend on solar wind conditions; magnetospheric structure associated with northward IMF conditions; and/or the nature of time-varying magnetic reconnection, which couples the solar wind to the magnetosphere.