Collaborative Research: CEDAR--Study of Storm-time Large Scale Structures in the Subauroral Ionosphere with Coupled First-principles Model and Multi-instrument Observations

该项目将联合收割机理论和经验建模工作相结合，开发电离层、等离子体磁层和内磁层系统的综合模型。这将通过将海军研究实验室电离层模型SAMI 3与莱斯大学内磁层代码RCM相结合来实现。模型数据比较将是模型开发的一个组成部分，使用麻省理工学院Haystack天文台的多仪器观测数据。研究生将与SAMI 3和RCM耦合的建模人员密切合作，并与实验人员密切合作，以熟练掌握多仪器数据分析技术。学生将接受电离层-热层-磁层系统的系统科学方法的综合教育。此外，本科生将通过在麻省理工学院干草堆天文台运行的本科生研究经验（REU）计划参与这项研究。要解决的关键物理问题是亚极光偏振流（SAPS）流动通道的动力学和空间分布（特别是纵向变化）和磁暴期间的风暴增强密度（SED）电离层密度特征。正确的第一原理建模的SAPS/SED的发展将提供一个更好的理解的连接和因果关系，涉及电离层热层磁层（ITM）的太阳-地球系统的组成部分。迫切需要更好地了解内磁层和极光下电离层电场的空间/时间结构。

This project will combine theoretical and empirical modeling efforts to develop a comprehensive model of the ionosphere, plasmasphere, and inner magnetosphere system. This will be accomplished by coupling the Naval Research Laboratory ionosphere model, SAMI3, with the Rice University inner magnetosphere code, RCM. Model-data comparisons will be an integral part of the model development, using multi-instrument observational data from MIT Haystack Observatory. A graduate student will work closely with the modelers in the coupling of SAMI3 and RCM and also with experimentalists to gain proficiency in multi-instrument data analysis techniques. The student will receive a comprehensive education in the system science approach of the ionosphere-thermosphere-magnetosphere system. Additionally, undergraduate students will be involved in this research through the research experience for undergraduates (REU) program run at the MIT Haystack Observatory. The key physics issues to be addressed are the dynamics and spatial distribution (specifically longitudinal variations) of the sub-auroral polarization stream (SAPS) flow channels and the storm enhanced density (SED) ionospheric density features during geomagnetic storms. Correct first-principles modeling of the SAPS/SED development will provide a better understanding of the connectivities and causal relationships involving the ionosphere-thermosphere-magnetosphere (ITM) components of the Sun-Earth system. There is a crucial need for improved knowledge of the spatial/temporal structure of electric fields in the inner magnetosphere and subauroral ionosphere.