| NSF Org: |
AGS Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences |
| Recipient: |
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| Initial Amendment Date: | June 8, 2012 |
| Latest Amendment Date: | June 1, 2015 |
| Award Number: | 1203232 |
| Award Instrument: | Continuing Grant |
| Program Manager: |
Therese Moretto Jorgensen
AGS Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences GEO Directorate for Geosciences |
| Start Date: | June 15, 2012 |
| End Date: | December 31, 2016 (Estimated) |
| Total Intended Award Amount: | $320,000.00 |
| Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $320,000.00 |
| Funds Obligated to Date: |
FY 2013 = $80,000.00 FY 2014 = $80,000.00 FY 2015 = $80,000.00 |
| History of Investigator: |
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| Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
1109 GEDDES AVE STE 3300 ANN ARBOR MI US 48109-1015 (734)763-6438 |
| Sponsor Congressional District: |
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| Primary Place of Performance: |
MI US 48109-2143 |
| Primary Place of
Performance Congressional District: |
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| Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): |
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| Parent UEI: |
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| NSF Program(s): | MAGNETOSPHERIC PHYSICS |
| Primary Program Source: |
01001314DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT 01001415DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT 01001516DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT |
| Program Reference Code(s): |
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| Program Element Code(s): |
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| Award Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Fund Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Assistance Listing Number(s): | 47.050 |
ABSTRACT
Global magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) models are the most self-consistent way of mapping features from the ionosphere to the magnetosphere. However, stand-alone MHD models cannot account for the kinetic ring current physics in the inner magnetosphere, which strongly affects the accuracy of mapping. Coupling inner magnetosphere models with global MHD models is an important step forward in establishing a reliable means of mapping. Other features of MHD models, such as anisotropic pressure can better describe some features of magnetospheric dynamics such as magnetic reconnection and may improve mapping as well. Recent developments of the Space Weather Modeling Framework (SWMF) include implementation of two-way coupled inner magnetosphere models and the global MHD model, Block Adaptive Tree Solar-wind Roe-type Upwind Scheme (BATSRUS). The BATSRUS model has also recently been extended to incorporate more sophisticated physics, such as anisotropic pressure, multi-species and multi-fluid. This project will compare the simulation results with various observations and proxies, such as the boundary between open and closed magnetic field lines, the location of the reversal in the direction of plasma convection and the boundary between isotropic and anisotropic pitch-angle distributions of energetic particles. The project will investigate which model describes the observations best under various geomagnetic conditions, and will identify what physics associated with that model is the key to the improvement.
Mapping between the ionosphere and the magnetosphere is an important but difficult problem in studying the geospace system. Uncertainty associated with mapping prevents our understanding of fundamental physical mechanisms that are responsible for important space weather events. The objective of this project is to assess the weaknesses of existing mapping techniques and determine how global simulations of the ionosphere/magnetosphere system compare with reality in terms of mapping.
PUBLICATIONS PRODUCED AS A RESULT OF THIS RESEARCH
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PROJECT OUTCOMES REPORT
Disclaimer
This Project Outcomes Report for the General Public is displayed verbatim as submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI) for this award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this Report are those of the PI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation; NSF has not approved or endorsed its content.
Mapping between the ionosphere and the magnetosphere is an important but difficult problem in studying the geospace system. Uncertainty associated with mapping prevents our understanding of fundamental physical mechanisms that are responsible for important space weather events. Global magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) models are the most self-consistent way of mapping. However, stand-alone MHD model cannot account for the kinetic ring current physics in the inner magnetosphere, which strongly affects the accuracy of mapping. Coupling inner magnetosphere models with global MHD models is an important step forward in establishing a reliable means of mapping. Recent developments of the Space Weather Modeling Framework (SWMF) include implementation of two-way coupled inner magnetosphere models and the global MHD model Block Adaptive Tree Solar-wind Roe-type Upwind Scheme (BATSRUS). We assessed SWMF for their ability to map magnetospheric features to the ionosphere and vice versa through comparing the simulation results with various observations and proxies, such as open-closed field line boundary observed by low-earth orbiting satellite and ground magnetic field perturbation measurements. Results of this project have contributed significantly to the understanding the momentum and energy sources in the solar wind and magnetosphere for the observed disturbances in the ionosphere, such as ion upflow, ground magnetic sudden impulse and storm enhanced density.
Funds provided by this grant promoted the professional developments of female scientist and undergraduate/graduate students. Undergraduate/graduate students participated in processing and analyzing data, as well as learned to run numerical models and analyze the results. This project provided them a unique opportunity to get experience in both data analysis and numerical modeling. Project results have been disseminated in several conference presentations and journal publications.
Last Modified: 02/03/2017
Modified by: Shasha Zou
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