NSF Org:	AGS Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences
Recipient:	NATIONAL NUCLEAR SECURITY ADMINISTRATION
Initial Amendment Date:	June 28, 2005
Latest Amendment Date:	September 17, 2007
Award Number:	0518488
Award Instrument:	Interagency Agreement
Program Manager:	Rachel Walker-Kulzick AGS  Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences GEO  Directorate for Geosciences
Start Date:	July 1, 2005
End Date:	June 30, 2008 (Estimated)
Total Intended Award Amount:	$96,136.00
Total Awarded Amount to Date:	$288,873.00
Funds Obligated to Date:	FY 2005 = $96,136.00 FY 2006 = $96,339.00 FY 2007 = $96,398.00
History of Investigator:	Joseph Borovsky (Principal Investigator) jborovsky@spacescience.org
Recipient Sponsored Research Office:	Department of Energy Albuquerque Operations Office PENNSYLVANIA & H ST SE ALBUQUERQUE NM  US  87185
Sponsor Congressional District:	01
Primary Place of Performance:	Los Alamos National Laboratory SM 30 BIKINI ATOLL RD MSP LOS ALAMOS NM  US  87545-0001
Primary Place of Performance Congressional District:	03
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI):	J8M7ZJ3J4ZA9
Parent UEI:	NW2RJN8TQQW1
NSF Program(s):	MAGNETOSPHERIC PHYSICS
Primary Program Source:	app-0105  app-0106  app-0107
Program Reference Code(s):	9150, 9196, EGCH
Program Element Code(s):	575000
Award Agency Code:	4900
Fund Agency Code:	4900
Assistance Listing Number(s):	47.050

ABSTRACT

This data-analysis project investigates the phenomenology of "the calm before the storm", which are intervals of very weak geomagnetic activity that often occur prior to the high-speed solar wind streams that drive geomagnetic storms. A typical calm interval has a duration of two days. The objectives of this project are to determine (1) whether the calm before the storm is a systematically occurring or a randomly occurring phenomena, (2) what properties of the solar wind give rise to the calms, and (3) what the effects of the calms are on the ensuing geomagnetic storms. The primary data sources that will be used are the solar wind data from the ACE satellite and the particle flux data provided by the Los Alamos geosynchronous satellites. Additional data that will be used are the standard magnetic indices, Kp, Dst, and AE. The project involves both solar-wind research and magnetospheric-physics research. It will advance the understanding of fundamental processes that affect the Earth's magnetosphere and space weather. The project will also participate in an ongoing summer outreach program for science teachers that is held each summer at Los Alamos.

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