GEM Postdoc: Magnetosphere-Ionosphere Coupling Aspects of Traveling Convection Vortices

Dartmouth College, Hanover NH

Investigators

Abstract

This project will examine the meso-scale magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling processes which create traveling convection vortices (TCVs). TCVs were originally thought to be the ionospheric signature of flux transfer events at the magnetopause, but this has now been largely discounted. The project will search for TCV events where conjugate satellite data can be used in conjunction with the ground-based ionospheric observations. Data from several satellites will be used including the FAST, DMSP, Oersted and CHAMPS satellites. Data from the GEOTAIL satellite will also be for statistical information. Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) modeling will be done to determine the dynamical state of the M-I system when TCVs are observed.