GEM: Quantifying Radiation Belt Losses and Their Effects on the Atmosphere

众所周知，从太空落在大气层上的高能降水会造成一系列空间天气效应，包括对低地球轨道航天器的损坏，位置信号中断以及对跨极飞机和乘客的危险。此外，来自颗粒降水的氮氧化物的大气影响在我们对天气和气候的理解中发挥着作用-这是一个特别相关的话题。空间与气候之间的联系并不为人所知。这项研究旨在通过分析航天器，地面仪器的数据，并使用大气模型来揭示颗粒降水对大气和气候的原因和影响，直接调查这一联系。该提案涉及研究生培训和几个早期和中期职业研究人员的参与，他们将从新方向的合作中受益。此外，该团队计划举办一个简短的虚拟研讨会系列，向整个社区宣传，阐明这一科学主题，突出工作的跨学科性质，并讨论新的发现。高能粒子沉淀（EPP）是地球空间无数不同过程的原因和结果。它是整个内磁层发生的损失机制的结果，有助于捕获的辐射带和环电流粒子种群的全球动态。它也是对地球上层和中层大气的几种影响的原因，因为沉积在这些区域的能量造成化学成分的变化。因此，EPP是一个跨越空间科学和地球科学之间传统界限的过程，对这两个系统都有广泛的影响。该研究项目旨在推进我们对EPP对磁层-大气耦合系统的驱动因素和影响的知识前沿。总之，该项目旨在通过地面和空间观测量化磁层粒子群的损失，并利用这一信息通过全大气建模评估降水对地球大气层的影响。这种方法将使我们能够在空间科学和大气科学领域的背景下推进对这一过程的理解。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Energetic precipitation that rains down on the atmosphere from space is known to cause a whole host of space weather effects, including damage to low-Earth orbiting spacecraft, location signal disruptions, and danger to trans-polar aircraft and passengers. Additionally, the atmospheric effects of nitric oxides from particle precipitation play a role in our understanding of weather and climate - a topic that is particularly relevant right now. The linkage between space and climate is not well-known. This study aims to investigate this link directly by analyzing data from spacecraft, ground-based instrumentation, and using atmospheric modeling to uncover the cause and effect of particle precipitation on the atmosphere and climate. This proposal involves graduate student training and participation by several early- and mid-career researchers who will benefit from the collaboration in a new direction. Furthermore, the team plans to host a short, virtual seminar series to be advertised to the full community that will illuminate this science topic, highlight the interdisciplinary nature of the work, and discuss new findings.Energetic particle precipitation (EPP) is both a cause and a consequence of a myriad different processes throughout geospace. It is the result of loss mechanisms that occur throughout the inner magnetosphere, contributing to global dynamics of the trapped radiation belt and ring current particle populations. It is also the cause of several effects on the Earth's upper and middle atmosphere, as the energy deposited to these regions create changes in chemical constituents. As such, EPP is a process that crosses the traditionally-defined boundaries between space science and earth science, and has wide-ranging implications on both systems. The research project aims to advance the frontiers of our knowledge on the drivers and effects of EPP on the coupled magnetosphere-atmosphere system. In summary, this project is to quantify the loss that occurs in the magnetospheric particle population through ground- and space-based observations and use that information to assess the effects of that precipitation on the Earth's atmosphere using whole atmosphere modeling. This approach will allow us to advance understanding of this process within the context of the space science and atmospheric science fields.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.