2010 Summer Workshop

GEM will be holding its annual summer workshop June 21-26, 2009 at the Snowmass Conference Center in Snowmass, Colorado. Registration can be made at the GEM Workshop Web Site by June 14, 2009. The GEM Workshop Web Site also provides the workshop agenda.

The following GEM sessions are calling for presentations. Poster titles must be submitted to the workshop website no later than Friday, June 12.

(Calls for presentations are being added to this page.)

GGCM Modules and Methods

Conveners: John Dorelli <john.dorelli at nasa.gov>

The GGCM Methods and Modules Focus group would like to invite participants to two sessions to be held at the summer GEM workshop in Snowmass June 21-26. Both sessions will be held Wednesday, June 24:

Session 1 (10:30 am): What role does electron dissipation play in open boundary condition simulations of magnetic reconnection?

In this session, we would like to continue where we left off last year, addressing the following issues:

1. What is the role of secondary magnetic islands? Are they an irrelevant by-product, or do they play an essential role in determining the aspect ratio of the dissipation region?

2. What limits the aspect ratio of the electron dissipation region?

3. How does the reconnection rate scale with dissipation scale parameters (e.g., resistivity or electron mass) in simulations (electron MHD, Hall MHD, hybrid, fully kinetic)?

Session 2 (1:30 pm): How do we accurately model magnetospheric reconnection on a global scale?

Topics for this session include:

1. How does the physics of reconnection depend on the ad hoc resistivity model used in global MHD codes? In particular, how does reconnection scale with resistivity in the high Lundquist number limit? What is the effect of numerical resistivity? Can we reproduce Petschek reconnection by localizing the plasma resistivity? What is the effect of current dependent resistivity?

2. How does dayside magnetopause reconnection work in global MHD codes? Is reconnection locally controlled or externally driven? Does the Cassak- Shay formula apply to the dayside magnetopause?

3. What is the status of global Hall MHD modeling? What are the most robust numerical approaches? What are the new results coming from the latest generation of global Hall MHD magnetosphere codes?

4. What is the status of other non-MHD approaches to global magnetosphere modeling (e.g., global hybrid codes)? Are there any new ideas on the horizon?

If you are interested in participating in either of these sessions, please email one of the focus group co-chairs:

john.dorelli at nasa.gov or brian.sullivan at unh.edu.

Bow Shock Phenomena and their Magnetospheric Impacts

Conveners: N. Omidi <omidi [at] solanasci.com>, D. Sibeck <david.g.sibeck [at] nasa.gov>

During the 2009 GEM Summer workshop at Snowmass Colorado, a session on the bow shock and its magnetospheric impacts will be held on Monday June 22nd. This marks the last year of the Bow Shock Focus Group and in addition to discussion of recent observations, modeling, and theory of the bow shock and related processes in the foreshock and the magnetosheath we will discuss future plans. In particular, N. Omidi will provide a summary of accomplishments and current status and D. Sibeck will discuss future missions followed by solicitation and discussion of ideas about future directions and plans.

Those who are interested and wish to show a few relevant slides are invited to contact the conveners:

omidi[at]solanasci.com, David.G.Sibeck[at]nasa.gov.

For updated information please see http://www.cpe.vt.edu/gem/index.html .

Plasma Entry and Tranport into and within the Magnetotail (PET)

Conveners: Larry Kepko <larry.kepko [at] unh.edu>

The Modes of Transport focus group will hold 2 breakout sessions at the upcoming GEM Workshop in Snowmass (June 21-26, 2009). Both sessions will be held on the afternoon of Tuesday, June 23. This focus group seeks to improve our knowledge of the physical mechanisms that provide for different dynamical modes of response of the magnetotail to the solar wind.

1) This first session seeks event, statistical and theoretical studies of solar wind coupling and magnetospheric response. Topics include (but are not limited to) sawtooth events, steady magnetospheric convection, and pseudo-breakups.

2) In this second session we seek to: a) Identify questions that can be addressed with global MHD simulations and b) Find events, particularly during the THEMIS era, that can be used to answer the questions developed in (a). This session will be old-school workshop format, so participants are encouraged to bring plots and data for particular events.

Interested participants should email either Larry Kepko (larry.kepko [at] unh.edu) or Bob McPherron (rmcpherron [at] igpp.ucla.edu).

Near Earth Magnetosphere: Plasma, Fields and Coupling

Conveners: Focus Group co-chairs: Sorin Zaharia <szaharia at lanl.gov>, Stan Sazykin <sazykin at rice.edu> and Benoit Lavraud <Benoit.Lavraud at cesr.fr>

We would like to invite potential contributors to the Near Earth Magnetosphere: Plasma, Fields and Coupling Focus Group at the upcoming GEM Summer Workshop in Snowmass (June 21-26, 2009) to participate with modeling, theoretical and observational studies related to the topics below. Our focus group will have 3 breakout sessions on June 24 (Wed.) (for the full schedule of the workshop see http://www.ece.vt.edu/GEM-2009).

(1) Better observational knowledge/empirical models of fields and particles relevant to the near-Earth magnetosphere (including plasma sheet models to be used as input for near-Earth magnetosphere models); studies related to better knowledge of the electric fields (convection and induced) are particularly encouraged.

(2) Improvements in physics-based modeling, including coupling between different elements in the models (plasma, electric and magnetic fields), as well as inner-outer magnetosphere coupling; studies that address the effect of the above coupling on the inner magnetosphere structure/dynamics, including potential improvement of consistency with observations. A significant part of this session will be devoted to presentations of results related to the Near-Earth Magnetosphere Modeling Challenge. A description of the Challenge can also be found at the Wiki address above.

Potential contributors are urged to contact the conveners indicating their interest in participating. The sessions will be held workshop-style, with contributers encouraged to limit their number of slides to maximum 5. Please send the title of your contribution to us at the email addresses above.

Besides the 2 sessions dedicated to the topics above, a 3rd session will be devoted to refining the direction of the focus group in the future; community input is both welcome and appreciated. It is the ultimate goal of the focus group to improve physical knowledge and modeling of the near-Earth (< 10 RE) magnetosphere and its coupling with the outer magnetosphere. An outline of the major topics of interest of the focus group can be found at:

http://gem.epss.ucla.edu/mediawikiwiki/index.php/FG8._Near_Earth_Magnetosphere:_plasma%2C_fields%2C_and_coupling

Diffuse Auroral Precipitation

Conveners: Richard Thorne <rmt [at] atmos.ucla.edu>

There will be four separate breakout sessions devoted to the Diffuse Auroral Precipitation Focus Group at the 2009 GEM workshop.

Session 1

Tu, 23 June, 1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

DAP 1: " Understanding Diffuse Auroral Structure "

Co-chaired by Marilla Samara (msamara[at]swri.edu) and Robert Michell (rmichell[at]swri.edu).

We invite contributions relating to the wide range of observable auroral structures and their classification. Diffuse aurora contains a wide range of structures including the most fine scale features. However, the mechanisms causing structure in aurora, whether discrete or diffuse, need to be defined within a larger theoretical understanding, which requires consistency in verification resulting from observations of all types of structures.

Therefore, we would like to broaden the discussion to include more than what is often deemed to be diffuse auroral structure. A main re-occurring theme is the confusion on what is actually termed diffuse aurora and most importantly how to recognize it in optical data.

Topics for discussion will include:

1. Variety of auroral structure (and characteristics) observed to date with ground imagers, satellite-borne imagers and their counterparts in the in situ particle measurements.

2. Working definition of diffuse aurora: Historical context and observations. Is it ever really structureless?

3. Current knowledge of what these diffuse auroral structures tell us about in situ and wave scattering processes (connection to the other 2 sessions). What future measurements and models will add to the current understanding?

Input on how to further shape this session is welcome and encouraged.

Session 2

Tu, 23 June, 3:30 - 5:00 p.m.

DAP 2: "Magnetospheric Dynamics Associated with the Diffuse Aurora"

Co-chaired by Eric Donovan (edonovan@ucalgary.ca) and ...

DETAILS TO COME LATER

Session 3

Wed, 24 June, 10:30 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.

DAP 3 "Modeling Electron Scattering Rates by ECH waves and Chorus"

Co-chaired by Richard Thorne (rmt[at]atmos.ucla.edu) and Binbin Ni (bbni[at]atmos.ucla.edu).

This session will examine the global morphology, spectral properties, and variability of two classes of magnetospheric plasma waves, electrostatic electron cyclotron harmonic (ECH) and electromagnetic whistler mode chorus plasma waves, which are capable of scattering plasma sheet electrons, leading to diffuse auroral precipitation. Theoretical calculations of pitch- angle scattering rates from each class of wave will be presented to assess their potential contribution to the global pattern of diffuse auroral precipitation.

Session 4

Wed, 24 June, 1:30 – 5:00 p.m.

DAP 4: "Required Inputs for Global Modeling: Plans for 2009-2010 Activities"

Co-chaired by Margaret Chen (Margaret.W.Chen[at]aero.org) and Richard Thorne (rmt[at]atmos.ucla.edu)

In this session we will discuss how data and theoretical scattering rates can best be implemented in future models of the global distribution of diffuse auroral precipitation. We will also outline plans and objectives for the next year of the campaign.

Anyone interested in contributing to any of these sessions is encouraged to contact the relevant session chairs.

Substorm Expansion Onset: The First 10 Minutes

This is the 1st announcement of the focus group "Expansion Onset: The First 10 Minutes" for the upcoming GEM workshop in Snowmass (June 21-26, 2009; http://www.cpe.vt.edu/gem/index.html).

We will have 4 breakout sessions on June 25 (Thu) and 26(Fri) (for the current schedule of the overall workshop see http://www.ece.vt.edu/GEM-2009).

Following are four topics and primary questions we will discuss this year.

1) Onset Timing What is the time sequence of onset-related phenomena observed in space and on the ground, and what are the implications for substorm initiation?

2) M-I Coupling How does aurora evolve around substorm onsets? How are magnetospheric and ionospheric onset signatures connected in terms of auroral precipitation and currents, and what can we learn about substorm initiation from simultaneous ground-satellite observations?

3) Onset Signature Propagation How do onset-related signatures propagate in the magnetosphere? How does the uncertainty of propagation time affect our understanding of substorm initiation?

4) Mapping How does the presence and evolution of pre-onset and expansion-phase current systems affect the link between auroral and plasma sheet locations and processes?

Sessions will be scheduled based on responses to this announcement. Those who are interested in participating in the discussion are encouraged to email to Andrei Runov (arunov at igpp.ucla.edu), the session coordinator, with c.c. to other conveners.

We look forward to seeing you there.

Vassilis Angelopoulos (vassilis at ucla.edu)

Kazuo Shiokawa (Shiokawa at stelab.nagoya-u.ac.jp)

Andrei Runov (arunov at igpp.ucla.edu)

Shin Ohtani (ohtani at jhuapl.edu)