Determining the Magnetopause Boundary Structure Using Multi-Spacecraft Data and Linear Algebra
Is this project an undergraduate, graduate, or faculty project?
Undergraduate
individual
What campus are you from?
Daytona Beach
Authors' Class Standing
Matthew Chin, Junior
Lead Presenter's Name
Matthew Chin
Faculty Mentor Name
Katariina Nykyri
Abstract
The structure and the dynamics of the Earth’s magnetopause depend strongly on the physical processes taking place in the magnetosheath and magnetopause. As such, magnetic shear can lead to magnetic reconnection and velocity shear can lead to Kelvin-Helmholtz instability. The aim of this research is to analyze spacecraft crossings of the dayside magnetopause boundary using the Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms (THEMIS) mission data to determine the orientation of the boundary normal. With multiple spacecraft, it is possible to determine the actual structure of the magnetopause and compare that to the expected orientation of the boundary. For example, at the subsolar magnetopause and in the absence of flux transfer events the normal vector is expected to be mostly along the x-GSM axis, while at the dusk-flank magnetopause it is expected to be along the y-GSM axis. For the Student Research Symposium, this project is for Dr. Nykyri’s Space Weather (PS214) class.
Did this research project receive funding support from the Office of Undergraduate Research.
No
Determining the Magnetopause Boundary Structure Using Multi-Spacecraft Data and Linear Algebra
The structure and the dynamics of the Earth’s magnetopause depend strongly on the physical processes taking place in the magnetosheath and magnetopause. As such, magnetic shear can lead to magnetic reconnection and velocity shear can lead to Kelvin-Helmholtz instability. The aim of this research is to analyze spacecraft crossings of the dayside magnetopause boundary using the Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms (THEMIS) mission data to determine the orientation of the boundary normal. With multiple spacecraft, it is possible to determine the actual structure of the magnetopause and compare that to the expected orientation of the boundary. For example, at the subsolar magnetopause and in the absence of flux transfer events the normal vector is expected to be mostly along the x-GSM axis, while at the dusk-flank magnetopause it is expected to be along the y-GSM axis. For the Student Research Symposium, this project is for Dr. Nykyri’s Space Weather (PS214) class.