Surface waves above the magnetic poles

地球磁层是一个复杂和动态的等离子体环境，其物理过程影响着我们的日常技术。推动这种空间天气的脉冲事件可以激发表面波，类似于太阳风-磁层相互作用界面上鼓的振动膜，这一反应直到最近才得到同时来自几颗卫星的观测证实。这些表面波应该映射到两极附近的磁力线上，将太阳风能引导到电离层的顶部。然而，由于该区域复杂的磁几何结构对模型提出了挑战，因此这一过程的潜在地面特征仍然不被理解。该项目将使用两种互补的方法：-尖端模拟：Imperial开发并主持了Gorgon，这是英国唯一基于物理的全球地球磁层模拟，将用于预测面波接近磁极时的特征。-新颖的卫星观测：使用小型RadCube CubeSat任务在近地轨道上两极的磁场测量，将确定进入电离层的波的特性。这将加深我们对空间环境中存在的基本动力学以及它们与地面所见空间天气效应(如极光)的关系的理解。

Earth's magnetosphere is a complex and dynamic plasma environment with physical processes that affect our everyday technology. The impulsive events that drive this space weather can excite surface waves akin to the vibrating membrane of a drum at the interface of the solar wind - magnetosphere interaction, a response that was only recently confirmed using observations from several satellites simultaneously. These surface waves should map to magnetic field lines near the poles, directing solar wind energy into the top of the ionosphere. However, the potential ground-based signatures of this process are still not understood since the complicated magnetic geometry in this region pose a challenge to model. The project will use two complementary approaches:- Cutting-edge simulations: Imperial has developed and hosts Gorgon, the UK's only global physics-based simulation of Earth's magnetosphere, which will be used to predict the signatures of surface waves as they approach the magnetic poles.- Novel satellite observations: Using magnetic field measurements over the poles from the miniaturised RadCube CubeSat mission in low Earth orbit, the properties of waves entering the ionosphere will be determined.This will develop our understanding of the fundamental dynamics present in our space environment and how they relate to space weather effects seen on the ground such as the aurorae.