Geospace Phenomena: Assessing Danger and Understanding Mechanisms

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The solar wind’s interaction with Earth can, like the familiar wind, bring on damaging storms. Energy can be released in an explosive way in “substorms”, which often feature dramatic auroras. This “space weather” takes place in the turbulent plasmas of near-Earth space. Characterizing it requires simultaneous measurements at many points on Earth and in space, and our physical understanding is based on careful interpretation of data from critical locations. The physics of the magnetosphere, or protective magnetic shell around the Earth, remains a major challenge in science. We must infer how matter and energy move near Earth, often from a minimum of data. My research uses magnetic fields and other quantities we measure on the ground to supply missing pieces of the space weather puzzle. Our instruments in Canada make measurements complementary to those from modern fleets of satellites. By improving our understanding of the complex processes that take place there, we will also enable practical applications in areas ranging from navigation to power transmission.