Collaborative Research: Dipole Tilt Effect on Kelvin-Helmholtz Instability and Its Associated Ionospheric and Geomagnetic Signatures

磁重联和开尔文-亥姆霍兹不稳定性（KHI）被认为是磁层与太阳风之间的两种主要耦合机制。这种耦合使两个区域之间的能量和粒子交换成为可能。该项目研究这些现象，以深入了解地球偶极子作为等离子体在磁层顶传输的时间函数的重要性，电离层动力学，以及它对理解空间天气的影响。更广泛的影响包括研究生的支持，以及由早期职业女性科学家领导的研究。该项目重点研究偶极倾斜对地球磁层顶边界KHI的影响，并利用原位和MHD模拟数据研究相关的地磁扰动。本文讨论了以下科学问题：偶极倾斜对KHI的影响及其在不同IMF和太阳风等离子体条件下的特征，以及偶极倾斜对KHI相关地磁扰动的影响。将利用观测数据（统计研究）和开放地球空间环流模型（OpenGGCM）建模相结合的方法，研究偶极子倾斜对KHI的影响及其对地面上由KHI激发的地磁扰动的影响。该项目利用美国国家科学基金会资助的地面数据集，包括磁力计观测和超级雷达。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，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。

Magnetic reconnection and the Kelvin-Helmhotz Instability (KHI) are believed to be the two major coupling mechanisms between the magnetosphere and the solar wind. This coupling enables energy and particle exchange between the two regions. This project studies these phenomena to provide insight into the importance of Earth’s dipole as a function of time for plasma transport across the magnetopause, the Ionosphere dynamic, and its implications for understanding space weather. The broader impacts include support of a graduate student and the research is led by early career woman scientists.The project focuses on the dipole tilt effects on the KHI at the Earth’s magnetopause boundary and the associated geomagnetic perturbations using both in situ and MHD simulation data. The following Science Questions are addressed: dipole tilt effects on KHI and its characteristics under different IMF and solar wind plasma conditions, and the dipole tilt effects on KHI-associated geomagnetic perturbations on the ground. A combination of observational data (statistical study) and modeling with Open Geospace General Circulation Model (OpenGGCM) will be used to address the dipole tilt effects on KHI and how that affects the geomagnetic perturbations excited by KHI on the ground. The project utilizes NSF funded ground-based data sets including magnetometer observations and SuperDARN radar.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.