Collaborative Research: Solar Wind Ion Acceleration and Transport Into the Magnetosphere

Auburn University, Auburn AL

Investigators

Abstract

This project will develop a technique for predicting the energization of solar wind ions in the Earth's bow shock and the trasport of the energized ions into the magnetosphere. The project can be divided into 5 objectives: (1) determine how wolar wind ions are energized at the quasi-parallel bow shock, (2) map the connection from the quasi-parallel shock to the magnetospheric cusp and the ionospheric footprint of the cusp, (3) determine how the energized ions are transported from the shock region into the cusp, (4) determine the impact the accelerated ions have on the ionosphere as a function of solar wind conditions and the orientation of the interplanetary magnetic field, and (5) develop a technique for predicting energetic ions in the cusp based on solar wind conditions. The project will utilize data from a variety of satellites and will include a collaboration with Slovak scientist, Dr. K. Kudela, who will help with the access and interpretation of data from the Interball satellite. Three-dimensional hybrid simulations will be used to model the shock heating and transport processes and the model results will be compared with the satellite data.