2011 CEDAR-GEM Joint Workshop

This year GEM will be holding its annual summer workshop jointly with CEDAR at the Santa Fe Convention Center in Sante Fe, New Mexico on June 26 - July 1, 2011.

Logistical information and workshop agenda can be found at the GEM Workshop Web Site.

Listed below are the Calls for Presentations announced by GEM Focus Groups or by special joint CEDAR-GEM sessions. (Note: In the e-mail addresses below the symbol @ is replaced by " [at] ".) More sessions can be found in the tentative agenda provided by the GEM Workshop Website.

Joint: CEDAR-GEM Modeling Challenge Sessions

(model outputs due June 10)

Conveners: Masha Kuznetsova, Ja Soon Shim, Barbara Emery, Aaron Ridley, Delores Knipp, Naomi Maruyama, Tim Fuller-Rowell, Tim Guild, Jan Sojka, Geoff Crowley

Modelers, data providers and users of space weather models are invited to participate in the CEDAR-GEM Modeling Challenge Workshop (Tuesday, June 28 1:30 pm - 3:30 pm, and Thursday, June 30 10 am - 3:30 pm) during the 2011 Joint CEDAR-GEM Workshop in Santa Fe. Details of the Challenge and instructions on how to prepare and submit model output time series can be found at CCMC, GEM and CEDAR Web sites:

http://ccmc.gsfc.nasa.gov/challenges/GEM-CEDAR/

http://cedarweb.hao.ucar.edu/wiki/index.php/2011_Workshop:Modeling_Challenge

http://gem.epss.ucla.edu/mediawikiwiki/index.php/FG:_Metrics_and_Validation

The CEDAR-GEM Challenge is built upon GEM GGCM and CEDAR ETI Challenges. During the Workshop, GEM and CEDAR communities will share the experiences and lessons learned from the first rounds of the Challenges, address topics of common interest and analyze the effects of geospace model coupling on metrics results.

Participate in the Challenge by submitting your model results by June 10th, 2011.

Both CEDAR and GEM communities have recognized that due to the maturity and increasing complexity of state-of-the-art space weather models, there is a great need for a systematic and quantitative evaluation of different modeling approaches. During the last two years both GEM and CEDAR communities addressed this need by organizing and implementing comprehensive, community-wide efforts to test model predictions against observations. In the summer of 2008 the GEM GGCM Metrics and Validation Focus Group initiated a series of metrics studies (aka GGCM Modeling Challenge) focusing on the inner magnetospheric dynamics and ground magnetic field perturbations. A year later the CEDAR community initiated the IT modeling challenge called CEDAR Electrodynamics Thermosphere Ionosphere (ETI) Challenge. The goal of the two Challenges is to evaluate the current state of the space physics modeling capability, to facilitate interaction between research and operation communities in developing metrics for space weather models, to address the differences between various modeling approaches, to track model improvements over time, to facilitate collaboration among modelers, data providers and research communities, and provide feedback for further model improvement.

The Community Coordinating Modeling Center (CCMC) is supporting both Challenges and maintaining a web site with interactive access to model output archive and observational data used for metrics studies. In anticipation of the joint GEM-CEDAR Workshop five time intervals were included in lists of events addressed by both GEM and CEDAR Modeling Challenges:

• December 14, 2006 12:00 UT - December 16, 00:00 UT

• August 31, 2001 00:00 UT - September 1, 00:00 UT

• August 31, 2005 10:00 UT - September 1, 12:00 UT

• May 15, 2005 00:00 UT - May 15, 2005, 20:00 UT

• July 9, 2005 00:00 UT - July 12, 2005, 00:00 UT

Through collaboration between CEDAR and GEM Communities, by analyzing simulation results for ionosphere/thermosphere and magnetosphere models for the same set of events, we can analyze the effects of the geospace environment on the ionosphere. Many of the magnetospheric models are coupled to ionosphere-thermosphere models, so that the metrics can be conducted for both coupled and uncoupled simulations on both models.

Modelers are invited to submit simulation results for the 5 events listed above before June 10th 2011 through the interactive submission interface http://ccmc.gsfc.nasa.gov/challenges/GEM-CEDAR/. Model output file formats for each physical parameter and measurement availability table with satellite trajectories and ground stations locations can be found at

http://ccmc.gsfc.nasa.gov/challenges/GEM-CEDAR/fileformat.php,

http://ccmc.gsfc.nasa.gov/challenges/GEM-CEDAR/measurements.php,

http://ccmc.gsfc.nasa.gov/challenges/GEM-CEDAR/measurements-mag

Submissions of coupled magnetosphere-ionosphere models are especially encouraged. To study the effect of different drivers, ionosphere/thermosphere modelers are requested to perform a series of simulations for each event with different models for the ionosphere potential pattern: 1) Weimer 2005 using 15-min averages of the IMF input parameters lagged -5 to -20 min provided by the NCAR and the CCMC; 2) AMIE provided by ASTRA (Geoff Crowley); 3) Global magnetosphere models provided by the CCMC. Please contact Barbara Emery or Masha Kuznetsova if you need assistance to get ionospheric potentials from AMIE and/or global magnetosphere models.

List of physical parameters to be used for metrics studies:

• Ionosphere/Thermosphere models or coupled model components:

- Vertical and horizontal drifts at Jicamarca (VperpN and VperpE)

- Neutral density at CHAMP orbit (Nden)

- Electron density at CHAMP orbit (Eden)

- NmF2 from LEO satellites (CHAMP and COSMIC) and ISRs

- HmF2 from LEO satellites (CHAMP and COSMIC) and ISRs

- Temperature Tn and neutral winds obtained by Fabry-Perot Spectrometer at 250 km (Arrival Heights, Antarctica; Resolute Bay, Canada)

- Ne, Te, Ti at 300 km (Millstone Hill, Sondrestrom, EISCAT, Svalbard ISRs).

- Ion vertical velocity at Sondrestrom ISR

• Geospace models or coupled model components:

- Magnetic field at geosynchronous orbit

- Ground magnetic perturbations

- Dst index

- Auroral oval position (high latitude boundary)

- Auroral oval position (low latitude boundary)

• Parameters along DMSP tracks:

- Poynting flux (Joule heating) into ionosphere along DMSP tracks

- Plasma Velocity (Vx - along track, Vy cross track, Vz - vertical)

• Additional time series in support of simulation results analysis:

- Cross polar cap potential (northern and southern hemisphere) - Joule heating (or Poynting flux) integrated over each hemisphere in GW.

Tentative agenda, suggested topics for discussions, and call for ideas/viewpoint presentations and participation in discussions:

1. Review of the first round of GEM and CEDAR Challenges results. Simulations results, observational data and reports on metrics studies for the first round of Challenges are available at the CCMC website. Comments and discussions are welcomed. Results of the first round of Challenges will be used as a benchmark for further studies.

- Introduction (M. Kuznetsova)

- Overview of the CETI Challenge results (J-S. Shim)

- GEM Dst Challange results (L. Rastaetter, D. Welling)

- Discussion

2. Effects of IT/geospace models coupling on metrics results.

- Comparison of different approaches to introducing geomagnetic activity effects into ionosphere models (A. Ridley, N. Maruyama)

- Poynting flux into the ionosphere (D. Knipp, L. Rastaetter)

- Role of ion outflows from the ionosphere to the magnetosphere.

- Discussion

3. Challenges of the model-data comparison and how to address them

- How to define the equatorward boundary of the auroral oval from simulations (Y. Zheng)

- What metrics to apply and how to calculate skill score for global (e.g., 2D time dependent) observational data. TEC metrics studies planning (B. Emery, L. Goncharenko, A. Coster)

- Methods of data preparation.

- Uncertainty analysis of model outputs (R. Schunk).

- Metrics selection for geospace model evaluation. Lessons learned. Threshold-based metrics (A. Pulkkinen)

- Discussion

4. Climatology projects for the thermosphere, ionosphere, ring current, radiation belts, and the plasma sheet (B. Emery, T. Guild) – scheduled for Tuesday June 28, 130-330 PM

5. General discussion on GEM-CEDAR Modeling Challenges. Planning of future activities

Please contact conveners if you would like to present your viewpoint (no more than 3 slides) on topics listed above, and/or would like to suggest additional topics for discussion.

Joint: Dayside FACs and Energy Deposition Sessions

Conveners: Delores Knipp <delores.knipp [at] gmail.com>, Stefan Eriksson <eriksson [at] lasp.colorado.edu>, Geoff Crowley <gcrowley [at] astraspace.net>,Herb Carson <herbert.c.carlson [at] gmail.com>

We would like to invite contributions to the Dayside FAC and Energy Deposition (FED) focus group at the upcoming GEM-CEDAR workshop in Santa Fe on June 27-July 1, 2011. This will be the second year in which special sessions on this topic have been held. The effort focuses on explaining the relation between enhanced dayside Poynting flux and field-aligned currents, sources of field-aligned currents in the solar wind and magnetosphere and their impacts in the ionosphere-thermosphere system. The Focus Group goals and other information are at:

http://gem.epss.ucla.edu/mediawikiwiki/index.php/FG:_Dayside_FACs_and_Energy_Deposition

The FED focus group will hold two sessions. Both sessions have been tentatively scheduled on Tuesday Jun 28 (10-12 and 1:30-3:30). The sessions will cover data, theory, and modeling aspects of the following topics:

• Dayside Poynting Flux, Joule Heating and Their Relation to Field Aligned Currents
• Particle Energy Deposition on the Dayside
• Dissipation of Magnetospheric Energy in the Dayside Thermosphere
• Thermospheric Density Enhancements and Traveling Atmo/Ionospheric Disturbances
• Solar Wind Drivers for Extreme Dayside Poynting Flux Events

The sessions will be held in a joint workshop with CEDAR. We anticipate a full slate of presentations and want to encourage a presentation style in which each speaker will be allotted time for a 3-4 slides, in order to ensure enough time for discussion. At least one of the slides should deal with unresolved issues. Speakers are encouraged to end their presentation with outstanding questions that can be addressed jointly.

If you have not already done so, please send the title(s) and session(s) of your contribution(s) to us at your earliest convenience at the email addresses listed below.

Also note that some of the Dayside FED events have been added to the GEM-CEDAR challenge events and will get additional attention in the Challenge sessions (see meeting calendar for details).

Joint: Nonlinear Plasma Effects in Auroral/Subauroral Plasmas Sessions

Conveners: Evgeny Mishin <Evgeny.Mishin [at] hanscom.af.mil> and Anatoly Streltsov <anatoly.v.streltsov [at] dartmouth.edu>

We would like to announce a tentative Program of the "Nonlinear Plasma Effects in Auroral/Subauroral Plasmas" workshop at the upcoming GEM- CEDAR workshop in Santa Fe on June 27-July 1, 2011.

The objective of this workshop is to make an assessment of the contribution of nonlinear plasma processes to the dynamics of the magnetosphere-ionosphere system with the emphasis on their effects on the energy transport and release in the ionosphere and magnetosphere at auroral and subauroral latitudes.

Nonlinear Plasma Effects in Auroral/Subauroral Plasmas PROGRAM

(CC Kearney)

Monday, June 27, 1600-1800

1. J.-P. StMaurice "A renormalized theory of the nonlinear evolution of Farley-Buneman waves and its implications for the transport properties of the turbulent E region."
2. M. Oppenheim: "3D PIC Simulations of Farley-Buneman Turbulence Demonstrate Anomalous Electron Heating”.
3. Y. Dimant: "Magnetosphere-Ionosphere Coupling through E-Region Turbulence: Anomalous Conductivites and Plasma Heating."
4. D. Hysell "Stochastic calculus and Farley Buneman wave phase speed saturation"

Tuesday, June 28, 1000-1200

1. N. Singh "Kinetic Features of Large-Scale Alfven Wave Propagation in the Auroral Plasma".
2. A.V. Streltsov "Multi-Scale, Multi-Fluid, Nonlinear Coupling Between the Ionosphere and the Magnetosphere at High Latitudes”.
3. E.V. Mishin "Plasma Physics of Sub-Auroral Ion Drifts: A turbulent plasmaspheric boundary layer"

FG: Radiation Belts and Wave (RBW) Modeling Sessions

Conveners: Y Shprits <yshprits [AT] atmos.ucla.edu>, J Bortnik <jbortnik [AT] gmail.com>, S Elkington <lkingto [AT] lasp.colorado.edu>, and C Kletzing <cak [AT] delta.physics.uiowa.edu>

1) GEM Radiation Belt and Waves challenge

The GEM Radiation Belt and Waves focus group would like to invite modelers and data assimilators to participate in its first GEM challenge, in which the pool of participants will be simulating a specified set of events, using a common data set as input.

An outline of the challenge, the rules and the relevant data are hosted on the Virtual Radiation Belt Observatory website and can be accessed at: http://virbo.org/RBW#Challenge_Data

The comparison of models and observations will take place at the 2011 GEM summer meeting. For the explanation of rules please contact "Jacob Bortnik" <jbortnik AT gmail.com>, "Scot Elkington" <elkingto AT lasp.colorado.edu>, "Paul O'Brien" <Paul.OBrien AT aero.org>, "Kletzing, Craig" <cak AT delta.physics.uiowa.edu>.

2) RBW schedule

This year we will have 5 GEM sessions and 1 joint GEM cedar session. We encourage participants to submit the titles of their presentations to http://www.atmos.ucla.edu/~yshprits/rbw2011.html by June 12th. Contributed presentations will be approximately 5 min and include no more than 3 slides. Invited presentations will be limited to 10 min and 7 slides. Presentations submitted after June 12 and walk-in presentations will be limited to 1 slide. We particularly encourage participants to submit their presentations to the Joint with CEDAR session: Remote Sensing the Inner Magnetosphere.

3) RBSPb event list

The RBSPb event list, page is now operational on ViRBO http://virbo.org/RBSPb . The web site design contains a list of storms, relevant papers, data, and figures. We encourage participations of the RBW working group to email publication titles and data relevant to these events to virbo+RBSPb AT virbo.org.

For comments/ questions please contact "Drew Turner" <drew.lawson.turner AT gmail.com>, "Michael Hartinger" <mhartinger AT igpp.ucla.edu>, "Weichao Tu" <Weichao.Tu AT colorado.edu>, "Yuri Shprits" <yshprits AT atmos.ucla.edu>, "Bob Weigel" <rweigel AT gmu.edu>

FG: Ion Outflow Sessions

(Session Dates: June 27 and June 29, 2011)

Conveners: Dan Welling <dwelling [at] lanl.gov>

The new GEM focus group on The Ionospheric Source of Magnetospheric Plasma-Measuring, Modeling and Merging Into the GEM GGCM will hold four joint GEM/CEDAR sessions at the upcoming meeting in Santa Fe. The conveners, Rick Chappell, Bob Schunk and Dan Welling would like to invite participation from the GEM/CEDAR community for any of the following four sessions. The sessions will begin with a summary overview talk and will be followed by contributed workshop-style talks with discussion. Each session will last two hours. The topics and times of the sessions are listed below. Please contact the session chairman for each of the four sessions to be added to the agenda for the session.

June 27, 2011; 1:30-3:30pm

Measurements of Ion Outflow in the Ionosphere and Magnetosphere.

The Earth's ionosphere has been shown to be a significant contributor of plasma to different particle populations of the magnetosphere. Through a variety of energization processes, the low energy ionospheric particles are transported from low altitudes upward into the magnetosphere where they can become more energized and can help create fundamentally important regions such as the plasma sheet and ring current. This workshop will review and discuss observations of outflow in the ionosphere and magnetosphere as a stimulus for refining existing outflow models. (Session Chairman: Rick Chappell rick.chappell [at] vanderbilt.edu)

June 27, 2011; 4:00-6:00pm

Modeling Ionospheric Outflow

There is a continuous ion outflow from the Earth at high latitudes. The outflow consists of light thermal ions (H+ , He+ and O+) and energized ions (NO+, O2+, N2+, O+, N+, He+ and H+). The ion energization in the polar wind is associated with photoelectrons, hot magnetosphere electrons and ions, wave-particle interactions in the cusp and nocturnal oval at various altitudes, electromagnetic wave turbulence above the polar cap, and centrifugal acceleration. In addition, the ion outflow occurs in conjunction with magnetospheric convection, which causes the high-latitude plasma to drift into and out of the dayside ionosphere, cusp, polar cap, nocturnal auroral oval, and subauroral night-side ionosphere. Because of the complicated dynamics, various ion outflow models have been developed, including hydrodynamic (fluid), hydromagnetic, semi-kinetic, kinetic, generalized transport, and macroscopic particle-in-cell models. This workshop will identify the ionospheric outflow models that currently exist, establish the strengths and limitations of existing models, and determine the important outflow processes that need to be included in outflow models.

(Session Chairman: Bob Schunk schunk [at] cc.usu.edu)

June 29, 2011; 10:00-12:00 noon

Geospace Generalized Circulation Models (GGCMs), invaluable tools for studying the Earth's magnetosphere, have historically neglected the ionospheric source of magnetospheric plasma. Recently, an increased recognition of the importance of this source has spurred the magnetospheric modeling community towards finding new, innovative ways to include it in the large-scale models. This workshop will examine existing merging techniques between outflow and magnetosphere models and review recent discoveries concerning the impact ionospheric outflow has on the global magnetospheric results.

(Session Chairman: Dan Welling dwelling at lanl.gov)

June 29, 2011; 1:30-3:30pm

The Ionospheric Source of Magnetospheric Plasma: Measuring, Modeling, and Merging into the GEM GGCM focus group (or simply Outflow MMM) is a newly developed focus group aimed toward combining research of ionospheric outflow with Geospace General Circulation Models (GGCMs). The focus group has four major goals: refine existing outflow models through data-model comparisons, merge these models into the GGCMs and examine the impact on the magnetosphere, evaluate the coupled codes through data-model comparisons, and examine feedback from the magnetosphere to the ionospheric outflow. This session will summarize the Outflow MMM sessions that have taken place throughout the GEM/CEDAR meeting and work with the GEM and CEDAR communities to plan for the future of the 5-year focus group.

(Session Chairmen: Rick Chappell rick.chappell [at] vanderbilt.edu; Bob Schunk schunk [at] cc.usu.edu; Dan Welling dwelling [at] lanl.gov)

We look forward to your participation in these joint sessions.

FG: Magnetosheath Sessions

Conveners: Steven Petrinec <steve.petrinec [at] gmail.com> and Katariina Nykyri <nykyrik [at] erau.edu>

The Magnetosheath Focus Group will hold a 2-hour session on Tuesday, June 28 of the 2001 Joint CEDAR-GEM Workshop at the Santa Fe Convention Center. In addition to our pre-scheduled invited speakers (Michael Schulz and Hui Zhang) we invite participants to provide short presentations related to any of the magnetosheath focus group topics listed below. We also encourage both ionospheric and magnetospheric modelers and people using observations to participate in the development of the "GEM Magnetosheath Challenge", where the impact of specific magnetosheath conditions on magnetospheric and ionospheric dynamics is studied. Please send the title of your presentation to us by June 16th.

The Primary Objectives and Expected Activities of the FG:

1. To produce more comprehensive models of large scale magnetosheath flow and field patterns, and geometry of the magnetosheath region

2. To improve understanding of magnetosheath plasma instabilities and wave particle interactions: Spatial distribution and characteristics

3. To develop a better understanding of the effects on magnetospheric dynamics due to processes occurring in the magnetosheath and due to characteristic magnetosheath properties.

The focus group proposal with specific science questions can be found at http://gem.epss.ucla.edu/mediawiki/pdf/GEM_FG_MSheath_proposal.pdf .

We especially encourage data-analysts utilizing in-situ spacecraft measurements from Themis and Cluster missions, theoretical modelers, global and local modelers to participate in this session. We will also entertain presentations of studies of magnetosheaths of other solar system bodies, as they relate to the terrestrial magnetosheath.

FG: Substrom Expansion Onset: First 10 Minutes Sessions

Conveners: Vassilis Angelopoulos <vassilis [at] ucla.edu>, Shin Ohtani <ohtani [at] jhuapl.edu>, Kazuo Shiokawa <shiokawa [at] stelab.nagoya-u.ac.jp>, Andrei Runov <arunov [at] igpp.ucla.edu>

We would like to invite contributions to the Substrom Expansion Onset: First 10 Minutes focus group session at the upcoming GEM-CEDAR workshop in Santa Fe, NM on June 27-July 1, 2011. We will have four sub-sessions to discuss the following topics

1. Onset timing 2. Onset signatures propagation in the magnetotail and to the ground 3. Ground-Space Mapping of Physical Processes 4. Substorm processes near transition between stretched and dipole field lines

The workshop agenda and other information are available at http://www.cpe.vt.edu/gem/

Contributions based on data analysis, theory and modeling addressing the Focus Group topics are welcome. One of the goal of this focus group is to complete a matrix showing correspondence of each observation/model result to various substorm-onset physical models whether it gives positive or negative supports of the models. The current version of the matrix is available at the GEM Wiki page (http://gem.epss.ucla.edu/mediawikiwiki/index.php/FG12._Substorm_Expansion_Onset:_The_First_10_Minutes).

We would encourage a workshop presentation style with allotted time for maximum 3 slides in order to ensure enough time for discussions. Please provide us with the title(s) of your contribution(s) and the topic(s) to be addressed at your earliest convenience.

FG: Space Radiation Climatology Sessions

Conveners: Paul O'Brien <paul.obrien [at] aero.org> and Geoff Reeves <reeves [at] lanl.gov>

The Space Radiation Climatology Focus Group will hold 2 2-hour sessions at the upcoming GEM-CEDAR Joint Workshop: 10-Noon and 1:30- 3:30 on Wednesday, June 29th.

This is the final year of the focus group. The sessions will be organized around a few invited talks summarizing work over the life of the focus group, as well as open time for contributed talks on recent progress and plans for future investigations. The group co-chairs invite interested parties to contribute talks on climatological studies, data assimilation, long-term data sets, and related topics in the inner magnetosphere.

A focus group wiki/agenda will be maintained at http://virbo.org/GEM_FG9_2011. Also, post your favorite recent and all-time climatology papers to the wiki!

Please contact Paul O'Brien (paul.obrien at aero.org) or Geoff Reeves (reeves at lanl.gov) to schedule your contribution. The main wiki for the focus group can be found at http://virbo.org/GEMFG9

Special: Response of the Magnetosphere to High-Speed Streams Sessions (Sunday before the Workshop)

Convener: Mike Liemohn <liemohn [at] umich.edu>

On the Sunday before the joint GEM-CEDAR Workshop, there will be a day of sessions at the Eldorado Hotel's Sunset Ballroom. There is no extra registration fee, but we ask that you note your intention to attend either via the GEM registration page or with an email to Mike Liemohn.

This day of talks and discussion is centered on the phenomena of high-speed stream (HSS) passages past Earth's magnetosphere. These times represent a unique opportunity because the streams often repeat their geomagnetic activity cycle for several solar rotations, providing a natural laboratory for geospace researchers to understand the physical processes of solar wind-magnetosphere energy coupling. In addition, the geomagnetic activity resulting from these solar structures exhibits systematic responses within geospace. This special day is devoted to exploring the causes and consequences of the systematic geomagnetic response during high-speed streams. Of special interest is the comparison of what happens during HSS times with what occurs during other quiet and active times driven by other solar wind structures.

This day is sponsored by the NASA Living With a Star Program, through one of their Focused Science Topic (FST) Teams. Now in the FST's final year, this event represents the culmination of the group's activities toward understanding near-Earth particle energization in the near-Earth space environment, focusing on the nightside plasma sheet, ring current, and radiation belts. The FST team chose high-speed streams as a central theme for our group-wide effort, narrowing this down to a few selected events for intense analysis.

This 1-day special event will include presentations from investigators in the FST team as well as many from researchers beyond the group. Everyone is welcome to come for the day, hear the talks, and participate in the ongoing discussions (within each session and at the end of the day's agenda).

We ask that those planning to attend this special Sunday session to please click the button for this on the GEM registration page. This will allow for an accurate count for ordering break-time refreshments.

We look forward to seeing you there!

9:00 - 10:30: Session 1 on HSS global magnetospheric processes 10:30 - 11:00: Break 11:00 - 12:30: Session 2 on HSS near tail/inner mag processes (non RB) 12:30 - 2:00: Lunch (on your own) 2:00 - 3:30: Session 3 on radiation belts during HSS 3:30 - 4:00: Break 4:00 - 5:00: Session 3 part II 5:00 - 6:00: Open discussion, summary, and future plans

Session 1: addresses solar wind-magnetosphere coupling during high-speed streams, in particular examining the energy transfer efficiency and mass and energy flow processes.

Session 2: focuses on the flow of mass and energy through the magnetosphere during high-speed streams, in particular focusing on the nightside plasma sheet and near-Earth non-relativistic plasma populations.

Session 3: examines radiation belt processes during high-speed streams, addressing both the acceleration mechanisms and the loss processes for these high-energy particles in near-Earth space.

Special: Pre-Focus Group Planning Session on Magnetic Reconnection

Conveners: Paul Cassak <Paul.Cassak [at] mail.wvu.edu>, John Dorelli, and Brian Sullivan

We would like to announce a pre-focus group planning meeting for a GEM session on magnetic reconnection to be held at the upcoming GEM meeting in Santa Fe. We encourage any and all community members interested in helping to formulate the scope and direction for an upcoming proposal for a focus group to attend. Ideal directions for a focus group incorporate a close interaction between observers, theorists, and/or global modelers. Suggestions for leadership and science focus are encouraged. The session is planned for Tuesday, June 28th, from 1:30-3:30pm. Please email us at Paul.Cassak at mail.wvu.edu with any questions or comments. People not planning on attending that have ideas are encouraged to email their comments in advance.