Engineering-Physics Plasma Seminar Series Winter 2014
" Plasmasphere Erosion and Cold Plasma Redistribution in the Coupled Ionosphere-Magnetosphere System " John Foster, Associate Director, MIT Haystack Observatory
Cold plasma fluxes and gradients significantly impact space weather, wave-particle interactions, and radiation belt processes throughout the coupled geospace system. Van Allen Probes, DMSP, and ground-based observations are combined to describe cold plasma redistribution processes at both ionospheric and magnetospheric altitudes. The dual Van Allen Probes spacecraft provide multiple daily crossing of the plasmasphere boundary layer giving direct in-situ observations of the subauroral polarization stream (SAPS) region, plasmasphere erosion fluxes, and the dayside erosion plume. Ground-based GPS TEC mapping provides a time-dependent, 2-D perspective and framework within which to interpret the broad range of interrelated observations being provided by the Van Allen Probes.
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