| Session Details
|
| Section |
ST - Solar & Terrestrial Sciences
|
| Session Title |
Multiscale Magnetosphere-Ionosphere Coupling |
| Main Convener |
Dr. Simon Wing (The Johns Hopkins University, United States)
|
| Co-convener(s) |
Dr. Jay Johnson (Princeton University, United States)
|
| Session Description |
Physical processes that characterize the flow of mass, momentum, and energy between the magnetosphere and ionosphere cover a wide range of spatial and temporal scales. Understanding these multiscale processes is fundamental to bridging the gap in understanding between large-scale magnetospheric dynamics associated with global current systems or large-scale flows and the ionospheric response that provides resistance to magnetospheric dynamics through ionospheric drag and mass loading of magnetospheric field. The flow of energy to the ionosphere is mostly through the transfer of field-aligned Poynting fluxes over a wide range of frequency and spatial scales and acceleration of electrons. Associated Joule dissipation can lead to ionospheric heating, which ultimately increases the source population for ion outflows. Waves may be excited by external drivers or unstable energetic particle populations (such as precipitating electron beams), and have been closely associated with energetic ion outflows. Electron acceleration within field-aligned currents is also of fundamental importance to understanding the coupled magnetosphere-ionosphere system. Precipitating electrons can modify the ionospheric conductivity, which can ultimately feedback on a magnetospheric driver. Papers that discuss various aspects of the observations and or modeling on these topics are welcomed. |
