individual
What campus are you from?
Daytona Beach
Authors' Class Standing
Amelia Koth, Sophomore
Lead Presenter's Name
Amelia Koth
Faculty Mentor Name
Dr.Nykyri
Abstract
High-energy plasma jets form when the supersonic solar wind decelerates to subsonic speeds at Earth’s bow shock, producing a turbulent region known as the magnetosheath. Occasionally, the solar wind retains its supersonic nature and penetrates deeper into this region, which generates transient, high-velocity plasma jets directed toward Earth. These jets carry their own magnetic fields, which can interact with Earth’s field, drive magnetic reconnection, and potentially initiate substorms that lead to auroral activity. The NOVA (Northward-Oriented Velocity Analysis of High-Energy Plasma Jets in Earth’s Magnetosphere) study investigates specific jet events that occur during northward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) conditions. Conducted within the Laboratory for Atmosphere–Magnetosphere–Ionosphere Research in the Department of Physical Sciences, this study utilizes data from NASA’s Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission, which consists of four spacecraft in a tetrahedral formation. Key plasma measurements, including ion velocity, dynamic pressure, and the Auroral Electrojet (AE) index, are graphically analyzed to identify potential jet events. Once identified, jet velocities are compared across all four spacecraft using temporal and spatial separation data to determine the jet speed and direction. The ongoing analysis aims to quantify the velocity distribution of northward plasma jets and assess their potential role in the magnetosheath and dayside magnetosphere.
Did this research project receive funding support from the Office of Undergraduate Research.
No
Analysis of Northward Solar Wind High-Energy Plasma Jets in Earth's Magnetosphere
High-energy plasma jets form when the supersonic solar wind decelerates to subsonic speeds at Earth’s bow shock, producing a turbulent region known as the magnetosheath. Occasionally, the solar wind retains its supersonic nature and penetrates deeper into this region, which generates transient, high-velocity plasma jets directed toward Earth. These jets carry their own magnetic fields, which can interact with Earth’s field, drive magnetic reconnection, and potentially initiate substorms that lead to auroral activity. The NOVA (Northward-Oriented Velocity Analysis of High-Energy Plasma Jets in Earth’s Magnetosphere) study investigates specific jet events that occur during northward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) conditions. Conducted within the Laboratory for Atmosphere–Magnetosphere–Ionosphere Research in the Department of Physical Sciences, this study utilizes data from NASA’s Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission, which consists of four spacecraft in a tetrahedral formation. Key plasma measurements, including ion velocity, dynamic pressure, and the Auroral Electrojet (AE) index, are graphically analyzed to identify potential jet events. Once identified, jet velocities are compared across all four spacecraft using temporal and spatial separation data to determine the jet speed and direction. The ongoing analysis aims to quantify the velocity distribution of northward plasma jets and assess their potential role in the magnetosheath and dayside magnetosphere.