CAREER: The Evolution of Magnetospheric Plasma Waves in Response to Solar Driving

About This Grant

This CAREER project focuses on the plasma waves in the Earth's magnetosphere, the region of space surrounding the Earth's magnetic field that protects us from the solar wind. Magnetospheres are dynamic, interconnected systems composed of complex and varied populations of particles and waves. At Earth, electromagnetic waves are a primary mechanism through which energy is transferred across particle populations, connecting distant regions in space and time. These waves can accelerate electrons to high energies, generating the Van Allen radiation belts, which pose a hazard to spacecraft and humans in space. Waves can also drive particle precipitation into the atmosphere, modifying ozone and atmospheric chemistry and generating dazzling auroral displays. Additionally, the team will train future satellite engineers and scientists through involvement in CubeSat development. The project aims to expand the space hardware workforce and broaden participation in one of the essential directions of this field. Magnetospheres are dynamic, interconnected systems composed of complex and varied populations of particles and waves. At Earth, plasma waves are a primary mechanism through which energy is transferred across particle populations, connecting regions such as the distant magnetotail with the inner magnetosphere and even down to the ionosphere and atmosphere. These waves can act as particle heating and energization drivers, generating the radiation belts. Plasma waves can also drive particle precipitation into the atmosphere, modifying ionospheric conductance and atmospheric chemistry. With the growth of the Heliophysics System Observatory and multi-spacecraft missions, we can now piece together a more complete picture of the three-dimensional dynamics of the complex magnetospheric system. The proposal will utilize multipoint measurements to study the drivers, structure, and effects of waves in Earth's magnetosphere. The team will analyze multi-mission wave data from the Heliophysics System Observatory to characterize the fine and larger scale properties of various wave modes, looking at overall spatial extents and spatial scales of modulation and wave property evolution. As evidenced by upcoming Heliophysics missions and mission concepts, constellation missions have become the future of magnetospheric science, and with the continuing development of small spacecraft and CubeSats, these multipoint measurements are now more easily obtainable. Therefore, as part of this effort, the team will address workforce development, specifically by training future satellite engineers and scientists through involvement in CubeSats. 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.