Lie Zhu, Utah State University, zhu@theory.cass.usu.edu
J. Michael Ruohoniemi, JHU/APL, mike_ruohoniemi@jhuapl.edu
Ray Greenwald, JHU/APL, ray_greenwald@jhuapl.edu
Fairview, 1:15-3:15
Friday, June 22, 2001
Magnetosphere-ionosphere (M-I) coupling is a research area of common interest for the CEDAR and GEM communities and one in which the CEDAR and GEM scientists have their own unique research strengths. To foster collaborative research in this special area, an M-I coupling initiative has been supported jointly by the NSF CEDAR and GEM Programs. A joint M-I coupling special session was held during the 2000 Fall AGU. This year the GEM program will host a full M-I coupling session at Snowmass, Colorado but the overlapping of CEDAR and GEM meeting times will largely prevent CEDAR attendees from participating in the GEM discussion. We are convening this workshop to provide a forum for CEDAR scientists to discuss M-I coupling issues from a CEDAR perspective.
At high latitudes the magnetosphere and ionosphere are strongly coupled by electric fields, currents, and particles. Energy and momentum are exchanged as well with the neutral atmosphere. This workshop will cover broad aspects of M-I coupling of interest to CEDAR. We will also pay special attention to the active role of the ionosphere/atmosphere in M-I coupling. Possible specific topics include the significance for M-I coupling of upward Poynting flux, field-aligned currents and Alfven waves of ionospheric origin, plasma outflow from the ionosphere, small-scale ionospheric plasma and electromagnetic structures, spatial and temporal variations in ionospheric conductivity, feedback effects of thermospheric dynamics on the M-I system, and the neutral wind dynamo. A relevant CEDAR workshop titled "High-Latitude Electrodynamics" will be held after the M-I coupling workshop and the issues of the important drivers of thermospheric and ionospheric dynamics and their effects in plasma transport, ion drag, and Joule heating will be discussed in details in the latter workshop.
The M-I coupling workshop will start with scheduled presentations of duration 10 minutes or less. This will be followed by informal presentations (1-2 viewgraphs for each) and discussions with a focus on the active role of the ionosphere/atmosphere in M-I coupling. We will also summarize the activities of the GEM M-I session. The workshop will conclude with a discussion of CEDAR interests in M-I coupling and the ways in which the CEDAR community can contribute to the joint initiative. If you are interested in giving a presentation, please email the title or topic of your presentation (no abstract required) to either Lie Zhu at zhu@theory.cass.usu.edu or Mike Ruohoniemi at mike_ruohoniemi@jhuapl.edu. We encourage student presentations.