GEM: Modeling and Analysis of Extreme Geomagnetically Induced Currents (GICs)

该奖项的全部或部分资金来自《2021年美国救援计划法案》(公法117-2)。该奖项的主要目的是促进对控制极端地磁感应电流(GIC)发展和演化的基本过程的理解。在地球表面感应的水平地电场是决定高压输电网络上的GIC大小的主要量值。然而，关于控制地电场产生和演化的太阳风-磁层-电离层动态相互作用的许多方面的知识还很缺乏，特别是在极端地磁风暴期间。该奖项将对产生极端地电场的太阳风-磁层-电离层动态过程进行详细描述。具体来说，该奖项将涉及以下科学目标：1)与极端地电场的发展和演化有关的关键高纬度过程是什么？(2)场向电流中尺度结构在极端地电场发展中的作用是什么？(3)控制极光向赤道边界向低纬度扩展的关键物理参数/过程是什么？该奖项调查与白宫领导的国家科学技术委员会(2015/2019年国家空间天气战略和行动计划)保持一致，该委员会将GIC确定为最大的国家威胁之一。该奖项还包含STEM教育部分--本科生将得到支持和指导，以增进知识和理解，同时促进教学、培训和学习。获奖研究计划的特点是全面的数据分析和建模工作，这将把对GIC基本驱动因素的新的多尺度理解与GIC建模联系起来。来自安培/斯沃姆、SuperMAG、THEMIS、DMSP和SuperDARN的观测将与全球磁流体力学(MHD)模拟相结合，以解决科学问题。密歇根大学SWMF是在NASA/GSFC运营的CCMC上提供的一个全球MHD应用程序，它将结合观测对数值模拟进行紧密结合的分析。将审查磁层和电离层过程，以确定磁层、磁尾、磁层顶和电离层电流的变化何时、为什么以及如何影响电场特性。将进行深入的分析，以了解地电场纬度边界效应在磁层中的原因，以及它们与模拟和观测中边界位置的关系。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This award is funded in whole or in part under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Public Law 117-2). The primary objective of the this award is to advance the understanding of the fundamental processes that control the development and evolution of extreme geomagnetically induced currents (GICs). The horizontal geoelectric field induced at the Earth's surface is the primary quantity that determines the magnitude of GIC that flow on high-voltage power transmission networks. However, knowledge on many aspects of the dynamic solar wind-magnetosphere-ionosphere interactions that control the generation and evolution of the geoelectric fields is lacking, especially during extreme geomagnetic storms. The award would carry out a detailed characterization of the dynamic solar wind-magnetosphere-ionosphere processes that produce extreme geoelectric fields. Specifically, the award would address the science objectives: 1) What are the key high-latitude processes associated with the development and evolution of extreme geoelectric fields? (2) What is the role of field-aligned current meso-scale structures in the development of extreme geoelectric fields? (3) What are the key physical parameters/processes that control the auroral equatorward boundary expansion to lower latitudes? The award investigation is aligned with the White House-led National Science and Technology Council (National Space Weather Strategy and Action Plan, 2015/2019) that identified GICs as one of the top national threats. This award also contains a STEM education component in-which undergraduate students would be supported and mentored to advance knowledge and understanding while promoting teaching, training and learning. The award research plan features a comprehensive data analysis and modeling effort that would connect new multiscale understanding of the fundamental drivers of GICs with GIC modeling. Observations from AMPERE/Swarm, SuperMAG, THEMIS, DMSP, and SuperDARN would be combined with global magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations to address the science questions. The University of Michigan, SWMF, a global MHD application available at the CCMC operating at NASA/GSFC, would carry out a tightly integrated analysis of numerical modeling in combination with observations. The magnetosphere and ionosphere processes would be examined to determine when, why, and how changes in magnetosphere, magnetotail, magnetopause and in ionosphere currents affect the electric field characteristics. An in-depth analysis would be performed to understand what in the magnetosphere causes the geoelectric field latitude boundary effect, and their relationship to the boundary location in the simulations and observations.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.