Award Abstract # 2109543
Collaborative Research: GEM: Understanding Connections between Earth?s Magnetotail and Ionosphere through Imaging

NSF Org: AGS
Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences
Recipient: UNIVERSITY SYSTEM OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
Initial Amendment Date: March 17, 2021
Latest Amendment Date: February 28, 2024
Award Number: 2109543
Award Instrument: Standard Grant
Program Manager: Roman Makarevich
rmakarev@nsf.gov
 (703)292-7207
AGS
 Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences
GEO
 Directorate for Geosciences
Start Date: April 1, 2021
End Date: March 31, 2025 (Estimated)
Total Intended Award Amount: $287,063.00
Total Awarded Amount to Date: $287,063.00
Funds Obligated to Date: FY 2021 = $287,063.00
History of Investigator:
  • Amy Keesee (Principal Investigator)
    amy.keesee@unh.edu
  • Banafsheh Ferdousi (Former Co-Principal Investigator)
Recipient Sponsored Research Office: University of New Hampshire
51 COLLEGE RD
DURHAM
NH  US  03824-2620
(603)862-2172
Sponsor Congressional District: 01
Primary Place of Performance: University of New Hampshire
8 College Rd
Durham
NH  US  03824-2600
Primary Place of Performance
Congressional District:
01
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): GBNGC495XA67
Parent UEI:
NSF Program(s): MAGNETOSPHERIC PHYSICS
Primary Program Source: 01002122DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT
Program Reference Code(s): 9150
Program Element Code(s): 575000
Award Agency Code: 4900
Fund Agency Code: 4900
Assistance Listing Number(s): 47.050

ABSTRACT

Magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling is the process connecting hot, low density plasma in the magnetosphere with the cold, high density plasma in the ionosphere. This coupling is especially important during geomagnetic storms and substorms when increasing currents in the magnetosphere close through the ionosphere, resulting in increased outflow of ionospheric plasma into the magnetosphere and increased precipitation of energized magnetospheric plasma into the ionosphere. This process, important to understanding space weather impacts, will be studied with a combination of space-based observations and ground-based auroral imagers and the NSF-supported Poker Flat meridian spectrograph. The project supports research of a graduate student from a member of an underrepresented group in STEM and three women in early career stages.

Coupling between the Earth?s ionosphere and magnetosphere is a critical component of the dynamics that occur during storms and substorms. To improve understanding of the connections between phenomena in the magnetotail and in the ionosphere, the research will combine global imaging of the magnetosphere using energetic neutral atoms with auroral imaging of the ionosphere. These techniques will be supported by in situ measurements and global modeling. Case studies of particular active intervals will be used as well as statistical studies that include superposed epoch analyses. The following science questions will be addressed: (1) Under what conditions do we observe both energized ions in the magnetotail and auroral enhancements? (2) What is the temporal relationship between ion energization in the magnetotail and auroral enhancements? (3) What is the spatial relationship between mesoscale regions of energized ions in the magnetotail and auroral enhancements?

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.

PUBLICATIONS PRODUCED AS A RESULT OF THIS RESEARCH

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Adewuyi, M and Keesee, A and Ferdousi, B "Merging Mesoscale Magnetotail Features and Ground BField Perturbation Network Connectivity During Substorm Activity" Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics , v.129 , 2024 https://doi.org/10.1029/2024JA032598 Citation Details
Adewuyi, Mayowa and Keesee, Amy M. and Nishimura, Yukitoshi and Gabrielse, Christine and Katus, Roxanne M. "Mesoscale Features in the Global Geospace Response to the March 12, 2012 Storm" Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences , v.8 , 2021 https://doi.org/10.3389/fspas.2021.746459 Citation Details
Ferdousi, Banafsheh and Raeder, Joachim and Zesta, Eftyhia and Cramer, William and Murphy, Kyle "Association of Auroral Streamers and Bursty Bulk Flows During Different States of the Magnetotail: A Case Study" Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics , v.126 , 2021 https://doi.org/10.1029/2021JA029329 Citation Details
Keesee, A_M and Katus, R. and Tibbetts, J. and Liu, J. and Zhang, X. and Sorathia, K_A "Automated Detection Algorithm for Mesoscale Heated Regions in TWINS Ion Temperature Maps" Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics , v.127 , 2022 https://doi.org/10.1029/2022JA030464 Citation Details

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