Research
SWORD Track 1 develops and validates coupled first-principles models of the magnetosphere-ionosphere-thermosphere system, linking the Geospace plasma physics model with thermosphere-ionosphere models to deliver end-to-end forecasts from the solar wind to the surface.
SCIENCE QUESTIONS
1
Understand the complex mechanisms that transport energy from the solar wind, through the global magnetosphere, into the ITM system during geomagnetic storms.
What are the linkages between high-latitude particle precipitation and electric fields that drive multi-scale ionospheric density structures and global-scale neutral density perturbations?
How do thermospheric composition and chemistry, influenced by storm-time energy processing, determine the response of the ITM system?
2
Understand how the ITM system exchanges energy and plasma with the magnetosphere to feedback on magnetospheric dynamic processes.
How does storm-time ionospheric density structure affect plasmasphere refilling and ion outflow, and what impact do these have on the evolution of the system?
What are the impacts of neutral hydrodynamics, ionospheric electrodynamics, and conductance on magnetospheric currents via field-aligned current generation?
FIGURE · SCIENCE QUESTION 1
The currently available models provide vastly different mass densities in the upper atmosphere, creating large uncertainties for orbit predictions. The high-latitude ionospheric electrodynamics, illustrated through auroral electrojet indices, are critical for setting the driving electric field to the correct level.
MODELING TASKS
1
Couple SWMF/Geospace with WAM-IPE within ESMF framework
LEAD: GABOR TOTH
Determine high-altitude magnetosphere's impact on the IPE ionosphere
Determine neutral atmosphere's driving impact on the coupled ionosphere-magnetosphere system
2
Improve electrodynamic description in IPE
LEAD: AARON RIDLEY
Develop a new global (penetration) electric field solution for IPE
Couple stand-alone IPE with SWMF/Geospace within the SWMF framework for validation and verification
FIGURE · MODELING TASK 1
First results of the impact of coupling Geospace with IPE ionosphere. The lower conductance in the coupled model leads to higher polar cap potential and lower plasma pressure in the inner magnetosphere.
FIGURE · MODELING TASK 2
Verification of SWMF/Geospace and WEIMER empirical model electric potentials using DMSP ion drift meter measurements. The smoother model profiles indicate that for improved results, better modeling of the highly structured auroral precipitation is required.
WHAT SWORD DELIVERS
1
Develop a Michigan Library for Electrodynamics (MILE)
LEAD: AARON RIDLEY
Develop a tool that allows plug-and-play combination of various high-latitude electric field and aurora drivers to be used in various ionosphere-thermosphere models.
Validate and verify Geospace V3 and coupled Geospace-GITM models for addressing impacts of two-way couplings between the magnetosphere, ionosphere and neutral atmosphere.
2
Validate and verify performance of coupled Geospace-WAM-IPE
LEAD: DAN WELLING
Assess the performance of new vs current model setup using past geomagnetic storms.
Determine optimal model configuration for ionospheric and neutral atmosphere parameters using MILE.
FIGURE · DELIVERABLE 1
Verification of the Global Ionosphere-Thermosphere Model (GITM) performance using GOCE measurements of mass density and its orbital averages over a large geomagnetic storm.
MODELING RESOURCES