*************************** ** THE GEM MESSENGER ** *************************** Volume 16, Number 11 May 19, 2006 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- GEM Inner Magnetosphere/Storms Campaign Session Descriptions and Calls for Participation ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Mike Liemohn Below are the descriptions of the 8 sessions of the IM/S campaign to be held at the GEM Workshop in Snowmass, CO, next month. Please contact the individual session chairs with any comments or requests. (1) Inner magnetospheric M-I Coupling (joint with MIC campaign) Conveners: Dennis Gallagher and Jeff Hughes As the Inner Magnetosphere/Storms Campaign comes to a close, the recognition of substantial progress and work remaining has lead to interest in continuing the dialog among radiation belt, ring current, and plasmaspheric researchers. The Magnetosphere-Ionosphere Campaign working groups for Mass Exchange and Electrodynamics are perhaps most relevant to IM/S researchers. This joint IM/S - MIC session invites presentations and discussion related to common areas of interest between the two campaigns, particularly in regard to a continued dialog to understand the highly coupled magnetosphere-ionosphere system. (2) Inner-Outer Magnetosphere Coupling (joint with GI campaign) Conveners: Margaret Chen and Dave Sibeck This joint IM/S and GI session focuses on connecting inner and outer magnetospheric phenomena, in particular upon the plasma sheet as an important source of inner magnetospheric particles. The collective efforts of the IM/S campaign provide information concerning the composition, densities, and energies of the plasma sheet particles needed to supply the ring current and the radiation belt. The same campaign has also helped identify important energization processes that lead to the creation of the ring current and radiation belt. The GI campaign describes and quantifies how solar wind plasma enters the magnetosphere and is processed to form the plasma sheet. By working together on joint observational studies and by coupling global and inner magnetospheric models, the two campaigns can provide the knowledge needed to understand the processes that transform plasma sheet plasma into inner magnetospheric plasma populations. Specific questions for discussion might include (1) whether plasma sheet preconditioning plays a role in storm-time processes, (2) the role of dawn-dusk asymmetries in the plasma sheet in determining the local time distribution of the inner magnetospheric populations, and (3) the spectral characteristics and composition of the seed population for the radiation belt. To stimulate discussion of coupling of inner and outer magnetospheric phenomena in this session, there will be some invited and solicited talks that briefly summarize the boundary condition requirements of IM/S models and talks that summarize the GI models/statistical observations characterizing the plasma source populations to the inner magnetosphere. If you are interested in presenting your ideas to this session, please contact one of the session conveners: Margaret Chen (mchen@aero.org) or Dave Sibeck (dsibeck@pop600.gsfc.nasa.gov). (3) ULF Wave Index for Inner Magnetospheric Studies Conveners: Brian Fraser and Ian Mann Recent studies have highlighted the role of ULF waves in inner magnetosphere dynamics, including the response of the MeV electrons in the outer radiation belt. This session will be devoted to discussion of ULF wave studies that will contribute to the development of ULF wave indices that may be used to describe the wave state of the inner magnetosphere and radiation belt environment. ULF wave studies which provide information about the characteristics of ULF waves with a strong radiation belt response are particularly welcome. The ultimate aim is to arrive at indices that may be used in statistical or space weather studies, for example, relating to the energisation of electrons to MeV energies by ULF wave processes. Informal presentations of recent results from data analysis or theoretical modeling of the ULF wave-MeV electron interaction, or of prototype ULF indices, are solicited. Interested contributors are invited to forward a brief title to both Conveners: Brian Fraser (brian.fraser@newcastle.edu.au) and Ian Mann (imann@phys.ualberta.ca). (4) Plasmaspheric density from ULF wave observations Conveners: Mark Moldwin and Dennis Gallagher The mass density distribution in the magnetosphere determines the Alfven velocity distribution and therefore controls the rate of response to external and internal perturbations. Sharp gradients in the mass density at the plasmapause are responsible for wave trapping or wave growth of EMIC, chorus and hiss. Over the course of the Inner Magnetosphere/Storm Campaign, the ULF wave resonance technique that allows the estimation of the mass density of the inner magnetosphere has matured. In combination with in situ, other remote sensing (such as GPS TEC tomography and IMAGE EUV), and modeling studies - a new understanding of the structure, dynamics and importance of the plasmasphere in modulating geomagnetic activity has emerged. The purpose of this session is to highlight recent results that use ULF resonance techniques or other complementary techniques that have contributed to our understanding of the distribution of heavy ions and mass density in the magnetosphere. (5) Radiation belt Source Processes Conveners: Richard Thorne and Brian Fraser This session will be devoted to a discussion of the relative contribution of various source processes for the radiation belts, including (but not restricted to) radial diffusion and local stochastic acceleration. Informal presentations of recent results from either theoretical modeling or data analysis are encouraged. Participants interested in presenting material at the session should send a brief title to each of the Conveners: Richard Thorne (rmt@atmos.ucla.edu) and Brian Fraser (brian.fraser@newcastle.edu.au) (6) Radiation Belt Losses Session Conveners: Geoff Reeves and Paul O'Brien We would like to invite participation at the GEM Inner Magnetosphere/ Storms session on Radiation Belt Losses which will (tentatively) take place Tuesday afternoon. Radiation belt losses have been an important topic throughout the IM/S campaign and this year we will try to capture and summarize what has been learned through the campaign, what the current cutting edge science questions are, and how research on radiation belt losses might be kept vibrant over the next few years. We encourage discussion on radiation belt losses in the contexts of sources, acceleration, magnetosphere/ionosphere/atmosphere coupling, wave-particle interactions, measurement techniques, and other related areas. We welcome discussions of results from theory, modeling, and observations from satellite, balloon, rocket, and ground-based instruments. We intend to adhere to a workshop format. We hope to allow sufficient time for ad hoc comments or presentation of few viewgraphs. Participants wishing to show a more formal 5-10 min presentation should contact the chairs: Geoff Reeves (reeves@lanl.gov) and Paul O¡¦Brien (paul.obrien@aero.org). (7) IM/S Challenge Results and GGCM Coupling Issues (joint with GGCM) Conveners: Mike Liemohn and Jimmy Raeder Results for the two phases (WG1 and WG2 storm selections) of the IM/S Assessment Challenge (IMSAC) are solicited for this session. Rather than standard presentations of your findings, however, the discussion will be focused on scientific and numerical issues relating to inner magnetospheric modules within the context of a larger Geospace General Circulation Model (GGCM). Brief presentations on science results that highlight the need for and difficulties of code coupling are especially encouraged. We hope the flow of this session will be an informal discussion with a few more formal presentations, as requested. Those wishing to reserve a 5-10 minute slot on the schedule should contact the chairs: Mike Liemohn (liemohn@umich.edu) and Jimmy Raeder (J.Raeder@unh.edu). (8) Diagnosis and prognosis of the IM/S Campaign Conveners: Mike Liemohn and the WG chairs This session is the final official IM/S session of GEM. We will discuss where we have been, where we are going, and the near- and long-term future of inner magnetospheric research. It will be an open discussion to recap the accomplishments of the GEM IM/S campaign, assessment its strengths and weaknesses during its lifetime, and discuss the actions needed to formally conclude our GEM activities. We encourage members of other campaigns to join our discussion, as we look for way to hand over certain research topics to other campaigns for continued involvement with the GEM Workshops. We will also discuss the future of the inner magnetospheric research community, especially the possibility of continuing our own GEM-style meetings. Please bring your comments, concerns, and suggestions and take part in the discussion. Questions regarding this session should be directed to the campaign chair, Mike Liemohn (liemohn@umich.edu). +-------------------------------------------------------------------------+ |To subscribe GEM Messengers, send an e-mail to | | with the following command in the body of your e-mail message: | | subscribe gem | |To remove yourself from the mailing list, the command is: | | unsubscribe gem | | | |To broadcast a message to the GEM community, please contact Peter Chi at | | | |Please use plain text as the format of your submission. | | | |URL of GEM Home Page: http://www-ssc.igpp.ucla.edu/gem/Welcome.html | |Workshop Information: http://gem.rice.edu/~gem | +-------------------------------------------------------------------------+