Development and Evolution of Kelvin-Helmholtz Waves in Earth's Magnetopause and Their Effects on Earth's Magnetosphere: In-situ Observations with MHD Simulations

研究人员将研究在变化的太阳风条件下，日侧磁层顶和地球磁层低纬边界层的开尔文-亥姆霍兹波(KHW)的产生和演化。该项目包括研究KHW对太阳风进入磁层的影响及其对内部磁层的影响。这项研究将结合全球磁层模拟和对航天器观测的KHW进行广泛和深入的分析，以探索磁层顶表面KHW的发生和特征的全球分布。KHW在各种太阳风条件下缺乏直接的空间和时间观测，导致这些磁层顶波的产生、发展和影响在地球空间远未得到充分了解。对KHW的统计研究，包括利用多个航天器进行的足够数量的联合观测，将提供关于KHW的产生和演化以及KHW对等离子体传输和内磁层的影响的直接时空观测。这项研究将通过适用于研究大规模物理过程及其演化的全球磁流体力学模拟得到加强。这项研究的目标是更好地了解地球的物理--S磁层顶，以及内部磁层对到达磁层顶的太阳风输入的响应。了解磁层顶KHW的产生和演化不仅将对地球磁层物理产生重大影响，还将对其他磁化(水星、木星和土星)和非磁化(火星和金星)行星与太阳风的相互作用产生重大影响。内磁层中观测到的超低频波与磁层上的KHW之间的关系，以及KHW促进的等离子体向等离子体片和内磁层的传输的重要性和有效性，对于更好地预报空间天气具有重要意义。它还将与基于NASA范艾伦探测器目前正在进行的辐射带和环电流的研究有关。

The investigators will study the generation and evolution of the Kelvin-Helmholtz waves (KHW) at the dayside magnetopause and the low-latitude boundary layer (LLBL) of Earth's magnetosphere under variable solar wind conditions. The project includes studying the effects of the KHW on solar wind entry into the magnetosphere and their impact on the inner magnetosphere. The research will be based on a combination of global magnetosphere simulations and extensive and intensive analysis of KHW observations from spacecraft to explore the global distribution of the occurrence and characteristics of KHW over the surface of the magnetopause. Direct spatial and temporal observations of KHW under a variety of solar wind conditions are lacking, with the result that the generation, development, and impact of these magnetopause waves are far from being fully understood in geospace. Statistical studies of KHW including sufficient numbers of conjunctive observations using multiple spacecraft will provide direct spatial and temporal observations of the generation and evolution of KHW and the effect of KHW on plasma transport and the inner magnetosphere. The study will be enhanced by global magnetohydrodynamic simulations that are suitable for investigating large-scale physical processes and their evolution. The goal of the study is to better understand the physics of the Earth?s magnetopause and the response of the inner magnetosphere to solar wind inputs that reach the magnetopause. Understanding the generation and evolution of the KHW at the magnetopause will have a large impact not only on terrestrial magnetospheric physics, but also on other magnetized (Mercury, Jupiter, and Saturn) and unmagnetized (Mars and Venus) planetary interactions with the solar wind. The relationship between the ultra-low frequency waves observed in the inner magnetosphere and the KHW on the magnetospause and the importance and effectiveness of plasma transport facilitated by KHW into the plasma sheet and inner magnetosphere are important for better space weather forecasting. It will also have relevance to on-going studies of the radiation belt and ring current based on observations currently being made by NASA's Van Allen Probes.