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			 **   THE GEM MESSENGER   **
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						     Volume 10, Number 18
						     May 24, 2000

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Call for Participants in the M-I Coupling Working Group on Ionospheric
Plasmas in the Magnetosphere
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From: Bill Peterson (pete at spasci.com)

The magnetosphere and ionosphere are coupled by processes with
significantly different temporal and spatial scales. These processes
involve large scale field aligned currents, plasma waves, precipitating
and escaping ions and electrons. In terms of energy exchanged ion
outflow is the weakest of these processes. However, because of the
significant time required for ions to reach and affect magnetospheric
regions such as the plasma sheet, there is a possibility of long term
feedback effects. Recent reports of the seasonal modulation in the
strength of electron precipitation and ion beam outflow in the evening
sector (e.g. Newell et al., Nature, 1998) and the well known dominance
of O+ in the ring current in the largest storms demonstrate the
importance of quantifying the role of ionospheric plasma in the magnetosphere.

We are organizing a new GEM working group on the role of ionospheric
plasmas in the magnetosphere. Our initial meeting will be Monday and
Tuesday AM (June 19, 20) in Snowmass. We want to bring together 
investigators and modelers interested in quantifying, characterizing,
and modeling all aspects of ionospheric plasma transport throughout the
magnetosphere. We solicit short (5 minute, 3 view foil) presentations
suggesting ways the GEM community can use its resources to bring our
understanding of ionospheric plasmas in the magnetosphere to a point
where it can be incorporated into global magnetospheric models.  We hope
that these presentations will generate discussions that will lead to
consensus on the goals for the working group.

If you would like to participate in our discussions, please drop a short
e-mail to both of us.

Tom Moore   	thomas.e.moore at gsfc.nasa.gov
Bill Peterson  	pete at willow.colorado.edu

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