Difference between revisions of "FG: Testing Proposed Links between Mesoscale Auroral and Polar Cap Dynamics and Substorms"
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| − | == | + | == Focus Group Leaders == |
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* '''Kyle Murphy''' (NASA GSFC) | * '''Kyle Murphy''' (NASA GSFC) | ||
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Term | Term | ||
* 2015-2019 (5 years) | * 2015-2019 (5 years) | ||
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| + | == Abstract == | ||
| + | For decades the debate on substorms had centered on the ‘outside-in’ (reconnection) and ‘inside-out’ (current disruption) scenarios. However, recent ground-based observations have suggested a hybrid model, wherein the substorm is initiated by flows that may originate from the dayside, cross the polar cap, move through the open/closed boundary where they trigger localized reconnection, and then trigger substorm expansion after reaching the near-Earth transition region. This is radically different from the previous and intensely debated proposals. However, there are important disagreements in the community regarding both the interpretation of the ground-based (ASI, redline, and radar) observations and the proposed picture. Furthermore, the complete idea now includes the new proposal that flow structures from within the polar cap trigger localized tail reconnection, an idea which is of major importance for full understanding of tail reconnection, but which has not received much attention in the past. It is the purpose of this proposed focus group to bring together key players in this area to work together on the new questions of the auroral and magnetotail sequence leading to substorm onset, in a CDAW/GEM style format. Though our central focus is on substorms, we will also compare to non-substorm time phenomena because some key features are common in different levels of magnetic activity. Due to the structure of GEM as a working group style meeting, and the potential impact of this new paradigm on understanding the Geospace environment, GEM is the ideal venue through which to rigorously evaluate the newly proposed paradigms. Due to the importance of ground-based observations for the proposed topics, this focus group will encourage collaboration between GEM and CEDAR. | ||
Revision as of 20:50, 6 March 2015
Focus Group Leaders
- Kyle Murphy (NASA GSFC)
- Toshi Nishimura (UCLA)
- Emma Spanswick (University of Calgary)
- Jian Yang (Rice University)
Term
- 2015-2019 (5 years)
Abstract
For decades the debate on substorms had centered on the ‘outside-in’ (reconnection) and ‘inside-out’ (current disruption) scenarios. However, recent ground-based observations have suggested a hybrid model, wherein the substorm is initiated by flows that may originate from the dayside, cross the polar cap, move through the open/closed boundary where they trigger localized reconnection, and then trigger substorm expansion after reaching the near-Earth transition region. This is radically different from the previous and intensely debated proposals. However, there are important disagreements in the community regarding both the interpretation of the ground-based (ASI, redline, and radar) observations and the proposed picture. Furthermore, the complete idea now includes the new proposal that flow structures from within the polar cap trigger localized tail reconnection, an idea which is of major importance for full understanding of tail reconnection, but which has not received much attention in the past. It is the purpose of this proposed focus group to bring together key players in this area to work together on the new questions of the auroral and magnetotail sequence leading to substorm onset, in a CDAW/GEM style format. Though our central focus is on substorms, we will also compare to non-substorm time phenomena because some key features are common in different levels of magnetic activity. Due to the structure of GEM as a working group style meeting, and the potential impact of this new paradigm on understanding the Geospace environment, GEM is the ideal venue through which to rigorously evaluate the newly proposed paradigms. Due to the importance of ground-based observations for the proposed topics, this focus group will encourage collaboration between GEM and CEDAR.
