Studies in Radiation Belt Physics

* 本提案涉及近地空间区域称为磁层的物理过程，磁层是地球磁场在太阳风中产生的环绕地球的磁腔。 增加占用（例如，空间站）和使用（例如，人类对近地空间的观测（包括通信卫星）以及我们对空间天气信息日益增长的需求都表明有必要了解磁层的行为。 微物理过程进行了研究，以了解带电粒子如何与观测到的磁层波相互作用。 需要解决的一个特殊问题是在被称为磁暴的扰动条件下，内磁层中高能电子的产生。 这些电子可能导致卫星故障，磁暴可能破坏地球上的电网。 空间气象科学力求描述空间环境的状况，并预测地磁风暴等严重状况。 计算机建模和数学分析将用于研究空间等离子体中的波粒相互作用。 将利用卫星仪器提供的粒子和波数据建立模型，并将对照观测数据检验模型的解决办法。 该提案不仅旨在促进我们对磁层的基本科学知识，而且还将磁层物理学作为一种预测科学加以推进，从而在更广泛的意义上造福社会。

Summary of Proposal***This proposal addresses physical processes in the region of near-Earth space called the magnetosphere, which is the magnetic cavity surrounding the Earth that is produced in the solar wind by the Earth's magnetic field. Increased occupation (e.g., space stations) and use (e.g., communications satellites) of near-Earth space by humans, and our increasing need for space weather information point to the necessity for understanding the behavior of the magnetosphere. Microphysical processes are studied with a view to understanding how charged particles interact with observed magnetospheric waves. A particular problem to be addressed is the generation of energetic (killer') electrons in the inner magnetosphere during disturbed conditions known as magnetic storms. These electrons can cause satellite malfunctions, and magnetic storms can disrupt power grids on Earth. The science of space weather seeks to describe the state of the space environment and to forecast severe conditions such as geomagnetic storms. Computer modeling and mathematical analysis will be used to study wave-particle interactions in space plasmas. Models will be constructed using particle and wave data from satellite-borne instruments, and the model solutions will be tested against observational data. The proposal is intended not only to advance our basic scientific knowledge of the magnetosphere, but also to advance magnetospheric physics as a predictive science and so benefit society in a broader sense.**