Table of Contents ============================================================================ 1. GGCM Metrics and Validation Focus Group: Solicitation for GEM Community Participation in Inner Magnetosphere Models Metrics and Validation 2. Solicitation of Contributions to the "Space Radiation Climatology" Focus Group at the GEM 2008 Summer Workshop 3. New GEM Focus Group "Substorm Expansion Onset: The First 10 Minutes" Second Announcement for the GEM 2008 Summer Workshop ============================================================================ *************************** ** THE GEM MESSENGER ** *************************** Volume 18, Number 19 May 28, 2008 THE GEM 2008 SUMMER WORKSHOP June 22-27, 2008, Zermatt Resort & Spa, Midway, Utah * All Focus Group announcements can now be viewed at the GemWiki site (http://aten.igpp.ucla.edu/gemwiki/index.php/2008_Summer_Workshop) * Please pre-register at the Workshop Website (http://www.cpe.vt.edu/gem/index.html) by May 31, 2008 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. GGCM Metrics and Validation Focus Group: Solicitation for GEM Community Participation in Inner Magnetosphere Models Metrics and Validation ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Aaron Ridley and Masha Kuznetsova Many of the modeling groups within the GEM community have concentrated on improving the specification of the inner magnetosphere. We would therefore like to invite presentations on validations of the inner magnetosphere models and how models have improved by introducing the missing physics. For example, global MHD model results tend to improve when they are coupled with Rice Convection Model that handles the drift physics properly. We invite presentations showing the quantitative improvements in the inner magnetospheric modeling. Comparison with observations at geosynchronous orbit are encouraged. We would like to attempt to have some common modeling time-periods. Many researchers have investigated some of the time-periods listed below. If you have inner magnetosphere modeling validation results for the following times, please come and show them. May 4, 1998 - complex storm July 15, 2000 - very strong drivers (sub-Alfvenic solar wind) March 31, 2001 - HUGE storm August 4, 2001 - constant mild drivers August 31, 2001 - constant mild drivers April 17, 2002 - complex 4-day storm October 29, 2003 - 2 HUGE complex storms November 20, 2003 - HUGE storm September 2, 2004 - weak substorm December 10, 1996 Presentations on inner magnetosphere metrics that include other time-periods are also welcomed. Researches are invited to request simulations at the Community Coordinated Modeling Center (CCMC) Web site (http://ccmc.gsfc.nasa.gov). CCMC Runs on request system is set to allow comparison between different global MHD codes for different simulations grids, conductance models, coupling options, etc. Model outputs along satellite trajectories (including geosynchronous orbits) are provided. For more information on CCMC Runs on request system and/or to request special simulation settings please contact Masha Kuznetsova. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Solicitation of Contributions to the "Space Radiation Climatology" Focus Group at the GEM 2008 Summer Workshop ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Paul O'Brien (paul.obrien at aero.org), Geoff Reeves (reeves at lanl.gov), Chairs It's almost time for the GEM Summer Workshop, joint with SHINE. The Space Radiation Climatology Focus Group (FG9) will meet for two breakout sessions on Thursday: 10:30-12:15 and 3:30-5:15. We encourage interested parties to send talk ideas to Geoff Reeves or Paul O'Brien. If you are presenting an FG9-related poster, please sign up for the **Thursday** Poster Session and advertise on the Wiki. For more information, see the FG9 Wiki: http://virbo.org/wiki/index.php/GEM2008 The SRC FG will produce data-assimilative models of the magnetically trapped plasmas and radiation belts. These models will be run over an 11-year period (reanalysis) to produce a baseline space radiation climatology model for subsequent studies of long-term and statistical properties of the inner magnetosphere (climate statistics, solar wind coupling, etc.). We invite participation from the broad GEM community. While we intend to maintain a largely informal discussion format, each session will be built around a few oral presentations. If you have an oral presentation of a general nature for any of our sessions, please send us the title of your contribution at you earliest convenience. For more detailed technical presentations, a poster is likely your best option. Please submit to the **Thursday** poster session. To view or subscribe to the FG9 email archive, go to http://groups.google.com/group/gem-2007-space-radiation-climatology-fg9 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3. New GEM Focus Group "Substorm Expansion Onset: The First 10 Minutes" Second Announcement for the GEM 2008 Summer Workshop ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Vassilis Angelopoulos , Shin Ohtani and Kazuo Shiokawa (conveners) This is the 2nd announcement of a new focus group, "Expansion Onset: The First 10 Minutes." At the upcoming GEM workshop in Zermatt Utah (June 22-27, 2008; http://www.cpe.vt.edu/gem/), we will have 3 breakout sessions on June 25 (Wed). Each session is organized in a workshop style with a focus on specific science questions. We invite contributions to discussion by presenting a few slides on the identified issues. The following are details of each session: Session 1: "Timing" Time: June 25 (Wed) 10:30 am – 12:15 pm Room: Grindelwald Science Questions: What is the time sequence of onset-related phenomena observed in space and on the ground, and what are the implications for substorm onset processes? Lead Presenters: Sibeck (overview), Mende-for-Lui (Jan. 29 event), and Angelopoulos-for-Runov (Mar. 1 event) Details: We will discuss two pre-selected substorm events, one on January 29, 2008 (07-09 UT) and another on March 1, 2008 (01-05 UT). In both events the THEMIS satellites were aligned in the magnetotail allowing us to address radial propagation of onset signatures, and the onset times were well identified from THEMIS ground observations. Preliminary studies suggest that the January 29 event fits to the inside-out model, whereas the March 1 event to the outside-in model. Details of those events may be browsed at http://www.igpp.ucla.edu/public/THEMIS/SCI/events. We encourage participants to critically examine and discuss each event. Session 2: "Pre-onset/breakup auroral arcs" Time: June 25 (Wed) 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm Room: Grindelwald Science Questions: 1) How does aurora evolve around substorm onsets? 2) Is the onset arc formation an outcome of the M-I coupling, or is it a manifestation of a tail process? 3) Is the breakup arc Alfvenic or inverted- V? For the former, how is the associated process related to the formation of the substorm wedge system? Lead Presenters: Mende (observation) and Lysak (theory) Details: Following two short reviews, one about new observations and another about the M-I coupling theory, we will discuss auroral dynamics around the onset of substorms. Recent ground observations revealed that a new arc is often formed immediately before auroral breakups, and satellite observations suggest that some onset-related arcs can be explained in terms of Alfven waves rather than inverted-V acceleration. We will discuss implications of those observations for substorm onset processes. Session 3: "Onset mapping" Time: June 25 (Wed) 3:30 pm – 5:00 pm Room: Grindelwald Science Questions: How does the presence and evolution of pre-onset and expansion-phase onset current systems affect the link between auroral and plasma sheet locations and processes? Lead Presenters: Lyons (observation), Connors (observation) and Birn (modeling) Details: It is often the case that satellite observations and ground, especially auroral, observations support different models of substorm trigger. In this session we will discuss the (missing) link of magnetospheric and ionospheric substorm signatures from the viewpoint of current systems, and we will seek observational constraints on modeling the substorm trigger process. Anyone interested in participating in the discussion is encouraged to email Vassilis Angelopoulos (vassilis at ucla.edu), Kazuo Shiokawa (Shiokawa at stelab.nagoya-u.ac.jp), and Shin Ohtani(ohtani at jhuapl.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. | | | |Workshop Information: http://www.cpe.vt.edu/gem/index.html | |GEM Wiki Page: http://aten.igpp.ucla.edu/gemwiki | +-------------------------------------------------------------------------+