ANSWERS: Dynamics and Impacts of Electrons and Ions in the Earth’s Magnetosphere-Ionosphere System

Understanding the Earth’s magnetosphere and its connection to the ionosphere is crucial for correctly predicting space weather events, which are a potential hazard to human-built technology such as power grids, telecommunications, and satellites. The magnetosphere-ionosphere system is characterized by plasma (electron and ion) interactions that are coupled together and inherently complex. State-of-the-art models of this system often rely on simplifications that lead to deficiencies in predicting space weather events. This project aims to improve our ability to model the complex plasma interactions in Earth’s upper atmosphere. A team of mainly early-career researchers from Princeton University, University of New Hampshire and University of Alaska will collaborate with space weather forecasters and power grid operators on this project. While space weather is fascinating, it has received less attention in K-12 STEM curricula due to its complexity and transdisciplinary nature. To make space weather information more widely available to students, the project team will focus on educator training, create engaging curricular materials, and collaborate with the NSF-funded Space Weather Underground project, which serves historically underserved groups. This project is a modeling effort to investigate the dynamics of the Earth’s magnetosphere-ionosphere-thermosphere system, addressing the role of electrons as well as heavy ions in magnetotail reconnection and the subsequent electric driving of auroral streamers. The modeling will include self-consistent coupling between micro-instabilities and macro-transport. The team will apply new capabilities of the OpenGGCM model to evolve multi-electron-multi-ion fluid dynamics, incorporating significant kinetic physics beyond magnetohydrodynamics. They will investigate the transport of electron and ion species (H+ and O+) in the outer magnetosphere, as well as the impact on magnetotail reconnection, a controlling process in magnetospheric space weather events. The impact of magnetospheric electron dynamics and electric driving on aurora streamers, a critical M-I coupling product, will be studied in the upper atmosphere using open-source GITM model. In collaboration with a power grid operator, estimates of geomagnetically-induced current will be delivered. The team will promote K-12 STEM education through secondary educator training focused on space weather science, creation of engaging materials (including data literacy, visualization, and hands-on practices), and collaboration with the NSF-funded Space Weather Underground project. ANSWERS projects advance the nation’s STEM expertise and societal resilience to space weather hazards by filling key knowledge gaps regarding the coupled Sun-Earth system. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.