American Geophysical Union (AGU) Chapman Conference on Dayside Magnetosphere Interactions; Chengdu, China; July 10-14, 2017

American Geophysical Union, Washington DC

Investigators

Abstract

This proposal is requesting travel support for participants (including students, early career scientists, and invited speakers without the necessary financial means) to participate in a five-day Chapman Conference on Dayside Magnetosphere Interactions to be held in Chengdu, China on 10-14 July 2017. The conference is focused on open questions about the manner in which solar wind mass, momentum, and energy penetrate into the Earth's magnetosphere on its sunward-facing side. The underlying mechanisms are responsible for the development of space weather disturbances around Earth. The workshop is timely due, among other things, to the availability of a growing collection of multi-point observations from operating scientific satellites and new techniques for constructing global maps of electrodynamic parameters from both satellite arrays in low earth orbit and instrument networks on the ground. In addition, new insights are expected from comparing mechanisms for the penetration of solar wind plasma at Earth to those at other planets. An international workshop is particularly valuable for progress because many of the combined data sets are the result of international collaborations. Chapman conferences have a long history of successfully bringing together international researchers (and students) in a workshop style atmosphere to address open questions at scientific frontiers. Such an environment, which intermixes a wide variety of viewpoints and diverse participants, provides a known incubator for new and innovative approaches that have the potential for enabling breakthroughs. This environment is also a valuable educational experience for students and an opportunity for international networking. Following the meeting, proceedings will be published in a volume of the American Geophysical Union (AGU) Geophysical Monograph Series, which is expected to document the state of the field in this scientific area. Only a few percent of the solar wind striking the Earth's magnetosphere actually penetrates through our magnetic barrier. However, this small amount is responsible for the development of dangerous space weather disturbances throughout Geospace and the upper atmosphere. Understanding the manner by which this penetration occurs will lead to improved forecasting of space weather disturbances and help to address a national priority focused on protecting and/or mitigating damage to critical space-vulnerable societal infrastructures.