This project will quantitatively address the phenomenon of intermittent turbulence in geospace, with particular emphasis placed on the multifractal nature of the plasma fluctuations observed in the magnetotail and plasma sheet. Detailed spectra and other stochastic properties will be deduced and evaluated from first principles both theoretically and numerically. These results will be compared with actual in-situ experimental observations using modern statistical methods. The sporadic and localized interactions of magnetic coherent structures arising from the plasma resonances can be the source for the observed intermittent turbulence in geospace. Power spectra and local intermittency measures using wavelet analyses will be calculated to display the spottiness of the small-scale turbulent fluctuations and the non-uniformity of coarse-grained dissipation that can lead to magnetic topological reconfigurations. The technique of the dynamic renormalization group will be applied to the study of the scaling properties of the multifractal fluctuations. The structure functions and singular spectra will being quantitatively evaluated in detail and compared with the results obtained from actual experimental observations.

Agency
National Science Foundation (NSF)
Institute
Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences (AGS)
Application #
0637400
Program Officer
Kile B. Baker
Project Start
Project End
Budget Start
2007-01-01
Budget End
2010-12-31
Support Year
Fiscal Year
2006
Total Cost
$208,000
Indirect Cost
Name
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Department
Type
DUNS #
City
Cambridge
State
MA
Country
United States
Zip Code
02139