*************************** ** THE GEM MESSENGER ** *************************** Volume 20, Number 21 June 14, 2010 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Magnetic Mapping: Making Connections Between the Magnetosphere and Ionosphere ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Eric Donovan and Elizabeth MacDonald The ability to "map" along magnetic field lines from the magnetosphere to the ionosphere and vice versa is tremendously important in geospace studies. This touches on virtually every aspect of our field, enabling (when we can reliably map) or limiting (when we cannot) our ability to address numerous important questions. From the GEM perspective, advancement of the GGCM involves incorporating advancements in our understanding of geospace physics, often relating to processes that involve the magnetosphere and ionosphere: MI coupling, diffuse aurora, global convection, and magnetospheric instabilities and waves that have observable ionospheric effects are a few relevant examples. The physics behind these processes is studied, often separately, from magnetospheric and ionospheric views. Understanding demands correct connections between the two, which in turn often demands mapping. The THEMIS mission, with simultaneous multi-point magnetospheric and coordinated auroral observations has highlighted the importance of mapping in terms of bringing closure to specific questions. Our arsenal for making magnetic connections between the ionosphere and magnetosphere is growing, and includes empirical and event specific models, simulations, auroral boundaries and characteristics, transients such as BBFs and auroral north-south structures, magnetoseismology, and correlations between distribution functions observed simultaneously at two locations on the same field line. Still, we know that mapping is difficult and our understanding of uncertainties in all of the above listed techniques are likely large and certainly poorly understood. We are holding a special session at the upcoming GEM meeting with the objective of exploring the topic of magnetic mapping. We will take stock of the current state of the art, and discuss potential initiatives that might move our mapping abilities forward in significant ways. As well, we will explore the level of interest in this topic within the GEM community, and whether there is significant interest in proposing a focus group on this topic. Our intention is that this session will be truly workshop style, involving a few brief presentations followed by a lengthy discussion. If you are interested in contributed a brief presentation for this session please contact the chairs (see below). Session Date: Tuesday June 22 Session Time: 3:30 PM to 5:00 PM Session Location: Carroll Session Chairs: Eric Donovan (edonovan at ucalgary.ca) and Elizabeth MacDonald (macdonald at lanl.gov) +-------------------------------------------------------------------+ | 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. | | | | GEM Messenger is also posted online via newsfeed at | | http://heliophysics.blogspot.com and | | http://www.facebook.com/heliophysics | | | | Back issues are available at ftp://igpp.ucla.edu/scratch/gem/ | | | | URL of GEM Home Page: http://aten.igpp.ucla.edu/GemWiki | | Workshop Information: http://www.cpe.vt.edu/gem/index.html | +-------------------------------------------------------------------+