ROSES ID: NNH18ZDA001N Selection Year: 2018
Program Element: Focused Science Topic
Principal Investigator: Jean P. Berchem
Affiliation(s): University of California, Los Angeles
Project Member(s):
Escoubet, C. Philippe Collaborator ESA
Lapenta, Giovanni Co-I Space Science Institute
Wing, Simon Co-I The Johns Hopkins University
Richard, Robert L Co-I University of California at Los Angeles
Summary:
We propose to use large-scale implicit particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations embedded in global magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations to improve our understanding of the response of the dayside magnetosphere to the impact of solar wind structures. The main science objectives of the study will be to investigate how these structures affect kinetic processes at the magnetopause and how this is manifested in the entry of electrons and ions in the dayside magnetosphere. In particular, we will use both generic/idealized discontinuities with different field and plasma parameters (e.g. fast rotations of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF), density enhancements, embedded current sheets, interplanetary shocks) and event studies to investigate how the impact of solar wind discontinuities can affect reconnection processes and the precipitation of low-to high energy particles in the cusps. Simulation results will be used to understand and tabulate characteristic precipitation signatures driven by the impact of different types of solar wind structures. By comparing these signatures with spacecraft observations and correlating them with the state of the magnetosphere observed after the discontinuities have affected the entire magnetosphere will allow us to associate dayside precipitation signatures with the geoeffective responses to different types of solar wind structures.