The Role of Ring Current in Magnetosphere- Ionosphere Coupling
Location
Yosemite National Park
Start Date
2-12-2014 11:55 AM
End Date
2-12-2014 12:25 PM
Description
The magnetosphere and ionosphere are two closely coupled systems. Certain features observed in the magnetosphere cannot be understood without examining the characteristics of the ionosphere, and vice versa. The ring current plays a crucial role in magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling. Gradients in the ring current particle pressure produce field-aligned currents flowing in and out from the ionosphere. These currents modify the ionospheric electric potential distribution and alter plasma convection in both the ionosphere and magnetosphere. We have developed simulation tools to study the coupling relationships between the global magnetosphere, the ring current, radiation belts and the ionosphere. We have merged the Comprehensive Ring Current Model (CRCM) and the Radiation Belt Environment (RBE) model to form a Comprehensive Inner Magnetosphere Ionosphere (CIMI) Model. CIMI calculates many essential quantities in the inner magnetosphere and ionosphere, including: ion and electron distributions in the ring current and radiation belts, plasmaspheric density, ionospheric precipitation, Region 2 currents and the convection potential. In this talk, we will discuss how H+ and O+ from the solar wind and ionosphere get access to the ring current, how pressure feedback from the ring current changes the global magnetospheric configuration, and how the electric coupling between the ring current and ionosphere controls the variability in the outer radiation belt. We will also demonstrate how CIMI can be a powerful tool for analyzing and interpreting data from the new Van Allen Probes mission.
The Role of Ring Current in Magnetosphere- Ionosphere Coupling
Yosemite National Park
The magnetosphere and ionosphere are two closely coupled systems. Certain features observed in the magnetosphere cannot be understood without examining the characteristics of the ionosphere, and vice versa. The ring current plays a crucial role in magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling. Gradients in the ring current particle pressure produce field-aligned currents flowing in and out from the ionosphere. These currents modify the ionospheric electric potential distribution and alter plasma convection in both the ionosphere and magnetosphere. We have developed simulation tools to study the coupling relationships between the global magnetosphere, the ring current, radiation belts and the ionosphere. We have merged the Comprehensive Ring Current Model (CRCM) and the Radiation Belt Environment (RBE) model to form a Comprehensive Inner Magnetosphere Ionosphere (CIMI) Model. CIMI calculates many essential quantities in the inner magnetosphere and ionosphere, including: ion and electron distributions in the ring current and radiation belts, plasmaspheric density, ionospheric precipitation, Region 2 currents and the convection potential. In this talk, we will discuss how H+ and O+ from the solar wind and ionosphere get access to the ring current, how pressure feedback from the ring current changes the global magnetospheric configuration, and how the electric coupling between the ring current and ionosphere controls the variability in the outer radiation belt. We will also demonstrate how CIMI can be a powerful tool for analyzing and interpreting data from the new Van Allen Probes mission.