Complexity Induced Bimodal Anisotropic Intermittent Turbulence in Geospace

Massachusetts Institute Of Technology, Cambridge MA

Investigators

Abstract

Considerable observational and theoretical attention has been devoted towards the understanding of local, point observations of geospace plasma phenomena observed by research satellites. However, it is clear that there are important questions that involve global and multiscale issues: questions of energy and momentum transport within the magnetosphere, ionosphere and the Sun-Earth connection region, and of the nature of the particle populations, their source, entry, energization, diffusion, and ultimate loss from the systems. Theoretical models are being forced to confront issues of non-locality and "complexity". For systems involving non-locality and complexity effects connected with the fluctuations of the electric and magnetic fields, the in homogeneities, and anomalous anisotropic transport and energization processes are important. This project will quantitatively examine the plasma turbulence and the intermittent fluctuations in the geospace region. Detailed spectra and other stochastic properties of both the non-propagating and propagating portions of the turbulence will be determined and compared with experimental observations. The goal is to produce a self-consistent picture of the complexity-generated, intermittent turbulence and the evolutionary processes of space plasmas. The mode of approach for the first part of the research is based on the method of path integrals and the theory of the dynamic renormalization group along with direct numerical simulations. Realistic models characterizing the anisotropic intermittency and anomalous transport of the auroral zone will be developed. The second part of the research program is based on the interaction of the particle distributions with both the intermittent propagating and non-propagating fluctuations. A global hybrid simulation model developed for the evolution of the polar wind, solar wind, and auroral ions will be enhanced and applied to determine the interactions. The project will also contribute to symposia and workshops on the physics of space plasmas, which will be hosted at MIT in cooperation with the MIT Graduate School and the MIT Minority Summer Research Program (MSRP). In addition there will be collaborations with the Washington-based Center of Excellence in Education (CEE) to sponsor the education of genius-level high school students. By intermingling with the scientists at MIT, these young interns will obtain first hand experience in scientific research in geoplasma physics.