Plasma flows, electric fields and currents in the Earth's ionosphere

地球电离层中的等离子体流、电场和电流

• 批准号: RGPIN-2016-03741
• 负责人: Koustov, Alexandre
• 金额: $ 2.4万
• 依托单位: University of Saskatchewan
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2018
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2018-01-01 至 2019-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=655938
• 关键词: Plasma; flows; electric; fields; currents

As the solar wind and the embedded interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) stream past the Earth, the charged-particle plasma in the Earth's magnetosphere (the magnetic field region surrounding the Earth) is driven into continuous motion. The magnetospheric voltage generated by such motion produces currents that flow along magnetic field lines to the ionosphere only ~100 km above the Earth. The current then flows horizontally in the ionosphere before returning upward to the magnetosphere. The currents, voltages, and high-energy particles accelerated from the magnetosphere into the ionosphere not only are hazardous to astronauts and satellite electronics such as GPS systems in space, but also cause power blackouts and lead to pipeline corrosion and rupture on the ground. ***The proposed research program is aimed at studying the voltage patterns and currents in space and on the ground. This will be done by careful analysis of data collected by: (a) the international Super Dual Auroral Radar Network of radars (SuperDARN); (b) the versatile and powerful incoherent scatter radar at Resolute Bay (including both the Canadian and US portions); (c) the ongoing international satellite missions with strong Canadian participation, e-POP and Swarm. Several key topics in space physics will be addressed: (1) the dependence of the ionospheric voltages upon variations in the solar wind and IMF conditions; (2) the patterns of plasma flows related to a special type of aurora borealis, namely polar cap arcs; (3) plasma density patches travelling across the polar regions from dayside to nightside; (4) the effects of voltages and currents on the operation of radio communication systems in the Canadian High Arctic. This research program focuses on training both undergraduate and graduate students for work in satellite, aerospace and related industries, as well as for agencies performing environmental monitoring and protection.**

当太阳风和嵌入的行星际磁场(IMF)流经地球时，地球磁层(地球周围的磁场区域)中的带电粒子等离子体被驱动成连续运动。这种运动产生的磁层电压产生电流，这些电流沿着磁力线流向离地球仅约100公里的电离层。然后，电流在电离层中水平流动，然后向上返回磁层。从磁层加速进入电离层的电流、电压和高能粒子，不仅对航天员和太空中的GPS系统等卫星电子设备有害，而且还会造成停电，导致地面管道腐蚀和破裂。*拟议的研究计划旨在研究空间和地面上的电压模式和电流。为此，将仔细分析以下方面收集的数据：(A)国际超级双极光雷达网；(B)位于索鲁特湾的多功能和强大的非相干散射雷达(包括加拿大和美国部分)；(C)加拿大大力参与的正在进行的国际卫星飞行任务、电子民研计划和星群计划。将讨论空间物理学中的几个关键专题：(1)电离层电压对太阳风和国际货币基金组织条件变化的依赖；(2)与一种特殊类型北极光，即极帽弧有关的等离子体流动模式；(3)从白天到晚上穿越极地区域的等离子体密度斑块；(4)电压和电流对加拿大高北极地区无线电通信系统运作的影响。该研究计划的重点是培养本科生和研究生，以便在卫星、航空航天和相关行业以及为执行环境监测和保护工作的机构工作。