Theoretical Investigation of Magnetospheric Convection

该项目的中心是使用赖斯对流模型(RCM)来研究地球磁层及其与电离层和热层的耦合。通过以交互方式将RCM与热层数值模式相结合进行的计算机实验，应该能够确定热层风是否会对磁层风暴时环电流的注入产生重大影响。磁层-电离层-热层联合模拟还将针对中低纬度电离层电场的动态行为，这些电场移动电离层F层并影响其结构。利用新开发的计算机制来表示辐射带粒子、场定向势降、与中性物质的电荷交换、极光降水和与亚暴相关的磁尾磁场崩溃，RCM的计算机实验将探索这些过程对基本磁层现象的影响，特别是亚暴和风暴。

This project centers on use of the Rice Convection Model (RCM) to study the Earth's magnetosphere and its coupling to the ionosphere and thermosphere. Computer experiments based in interactively combining the RCM with numerical models of the thermosphere should allow determination of whether thermospheric winds can substantially affect the injection of the magnetosphere's storm-time ring current. Combined magnetosphere-ionosphere-thermosphere simulations will also be directed at the dynamic behavior of the low-mid-latitude ionospheric electric fields, which move the ionospheric F-layer and affect its structure. Utilizing newly developed computational machinery for representation of radiation-belt particles, field-aligned potential drops, charge exchange with neutrals, auroral precipitation, and substorm-associated collapse of the magnetotail magnetic field, computer experiments with the RCM will probe the effects of these processes on basic magnetospheric phenomena, particularly substorms and storms.