This project will examine transient events in the dayside region of Earth's magnetosphere and ionosphere. The study will make use of remote sensing and ground-based data combined with magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations to assess the roles of a variety of physical processes. In particular, the project will examine the properties of waves on the magnetopause boundary to determine the direction in which the waves propagate and the occurrence patterns. Such waves can be generated by pressure pulses in the solar wind, by intermittent magnetic reconnection, or by instabilities such as the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability. The project will also examine how the transient events on the magnetopause propagate down into the ionosphere and lead to transient phenomena in the auroral zones.
Most of the research will be carried out by students at the Inter-American University of Puerto Rico San Juan. The project will aid in the development of an graduate level degree program focusing on space and aerospace. It will promote collaborations with the aerospace industry.
