[GEM] THE GEM MESSENGER, Volume 26, Number 19

Wed May 25 16:30:48 PDT 2016

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     THE GEM MESSENGER
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Volume 26, Number 19
May.25,2016

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Table of Contents

1. New appointments in the Geospace Section of NSF’s Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences

2. 2016 Joint GEM-CEDAR: Invitation to a joint GEM-CEDAR session "Magnetospheric energy input and its role in the MIT coupling"

3. 2016 Joint GEM-CEDAR: "Magnetic Reconnection in the Magnetosphere" Focus Group Sessions

4. 2016 Joint GEM-CEDAR: Call for Participation in the "Inner Magnetosphere Cross-Energy/Population Interactions (IMCEPI)" Sessions

5. 2016 Joint GEM-CEDAR: “Quantitative Assessment of Radiation Belt Modeling” Focus Group -- Call for Presentations

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1. New appointments in the Geospace Section of NSF’s Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences
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From: Therese Moretto Jorgensen (TJorgens at nsf.gov)

It’s a distinct pleasure for us to announce that Dr. Ruth Lieberman has taken the position of Program Director for the Aeronomy Program.  Dr. Lieberman comes to NSF from GATS, Inc, where she is a Senior Research Scientist specializing in the analysis of satellite and ground-based remote sensing data and in furthering our understanding of middle atmosphere dynamics.  Dr. Lieberman earned her bachelor’s degree in meteorology from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, in 1981, and an M.S. in atmospheric sciences from the University of California, Los Angeles in 1983.  She received her PhD. in Atmospheric Science in 1992 from the University of Washington. Amongst her many scientific accomplishments is ground-breaking work on lower atmosphere forcing on the middle atmosphere.  During her career, Dr. Lieberman also has served in many important community functions, including as a member of a NASA Heliophysics Roadmap Committee and as Editor for JGR-Atmospheres.  Furthermore, Dr. Lieberman holds a position as Affiliate Professor at University of Alaska, Fairbanks, through which she has supervised several graduate students.  We are extremely grateful for the extensive experience and broad expertise Ruth will add to the Aeronomy program.   

At NSF Ruth can be reached at: rlieberm at nsf.gov 

Likewise, we are very happy to announce that Dr. Carrie Black has joined us as Associate Program Director. As a Program Director at large in the section, Carrie will work across all our programs.  Most recently, Carrie held an AGS Postdoctoral Fellowship under which she has carried out computational space physics research at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.  Before that she was a NASA Postdoctoral Fellow also at Goddard.  She received her PhD in Physics from the University of New Hampshire.  Her research concerns multi-scale processes that drive magnetic reconnection in magnetic configurations relevant to the solar corona and to the Earth's Magnetosphere.  In addition to her research work, Carrie has also been deeply engaged in policy and outreach involving space weather to the public and lawmakers.  She was a founding member of the American Astronomical Society/ Solar Physics Division Public Policy Committee and she has served in a number of other important organizational and outreach roles for the AAS over the last several years as well.  She has a strong interest in all areas of the geophysical and space sciences and in understanding the implications of geospace science and space weather, specifically, for critical infrastructure protection and resilience. 

At NSF Carrie can be reached at: cblack at nsf.gov

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2. 2016 Joint GEM-CEDAR: Invitation to a joint GEM-CEDAR session "Magnetospheric energy input and its role in the MIT coupling"
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From: Hyunju Connor, Cheryl Huang, Yanshi Huang, Haje Korth, Gang Lu, Binzheng Zhang (hyunju.k.connor at nasa.gov)

Dear Colleagues,

We invite you to a joint GEM-CEDAR session titled “Magnetospheric energy input and its role in the magnetosphere – ionosphere - thermosphere coupling”.  Our two 2hr sessions are scheduled at 1:30 – 3:30pm on Jun 21 (Tuesday) and at 1:30 – 3:30pm on Jun 22 (Wednesday) in Zia Ballroom, Eldorado Hotel, Santa Fe, NM.  

The session details can be found at the following website: http://cedarweb.vsp.ucar.edu/wiki/index.php/2016_Workshop:MIT_Coupling_Drivers_and_Impacts

The list of confirmed speakers and their tentative titles is as follows in alphabetical order. We encourage scientists in related fields of our speakers to participate our session, share recent research efforts, and foster discussion for better understanding the M-I-T coupling drivers and impacts.

1.	Hyunju Connor: The role of superthermal electron MI coupling physics in the calculation of ionospheric conductance.
2.	Yue Deng: Poynting flux and particle precipitation in the high-latitudes during geomagnetic storms
3.	Cheryl Huang: Small-scale effects during magnetic storms
4.	Kyoung-Joo Hwang: KH Vortex-generated field-aligned currents
5.	Joseph Jensen: Can Particle Precipitation in the Ionosphere Affect the Magnetic Reconnection Rate?
6.	Steven Kaeppler:  TBD
7.	George Khazanov: SE coupling in the region of diffuse aurora.
8.	Delores Knipp: Updated estimates of global energy deposition to the upper atmosphere
9.	Haje Korth: Storm-time large-scale Birkeland currents: Comparison of AMPERE observations with model results
10.	Gang Lu: Partitioning of high-latitude energy input: Polar cap vs. Auroral zone
11.	Tomoko Matsuo: AMIE NextGen - extending capabilities for the assimilative mapping of ionospheric electrodynamics (AMIE) procedure
12.	Ryan Mcgranaghan: Improved global ionospheric conductivity specification via data assimilative techniques
13.	Chigomezyo Ngwira : Multi-instrument analysis of surface geoelectric field drivers
14.	Denny Oliveira: Superposed epoch analysis of the thermosphere time response to geomagnetic storms
15.	Roger Varney: TBD (Ion outflow and MI coupling)
16.	Olga Verkhoglyadova: Comparison of IT responses to complex solar wind driving during March storms in 2013 and 2015
17.	Bin Zhang: TBD
18.	Yongliang Zhang: Auroral features from FUV observations

Best regards,
Hyunju Connor, Cheryl Huang, Yanshi Huang, Haje Korth, Gang Lu, Binzheng Zhang.

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3. 2016 Joint GEM-CEDAR: "Magnetic Reconnection in the Magnetosphere" Focus Group Sessions
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From: Paul Cassak, Andrei Runov, Yi-Hsin Liu, Brian Walsh (Paul.Cassak at mail.wvu.edu)

We are announcing plans for the "Magnetic Reconnection in the Magnetosphere" Focus Group sessions at the upcoming GEM Workshop.  

We have a broad collection of sessions planned for this year, including both basic reconnection science and joint sessions with focus groups where reconnection plays a role in the broader dynamics.  The sessions are intended to be driven by open discussion, but attendees are encouraged to enhance the discussion by showing a slide or two as appropriate.  As in the past, we are asking participants to not do AGU-style presentations.  As always, we will try to accommodate all who want to speak, but the priority is having open and active discussion over sticking to a schedule.  We strongly encourage anyone wishing to present more than a few slides to also sign up to give a poster.  

The (currently scheduled) dates, times, and summaries for each session are:

Monday 6/20, PM1 - 1:30pm-3:30pm (Individual session)

This session will focus on kinetic physics in day- and night-side reconnection.  With the recent launch of the Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) satellites, there is already a wealth of new data on kinetic scale physics.  Scene setting talks to frame relevant questions and generate discussion will include particle acceleration in dayside reconnection (Allison Jaynes, CU-Boulder) and how global/non-local physics impacts kinetic reconnection physics (John Dorelli, NASA-GSFC), both of which will include discussion of MMS data.  In addition, we will have a discussion of magnetotail stability, with a scene setting talk on recent progress (Slava Merkin, JHU-APL).  We also encourage discussion on other relevant topics.  Please contact Paul Cassak <Paul.Cassak at mail.wvu.edu> if you are interested in being part of the discussion.

Monday 6/20, PM2 - 4:00pm-6:00pm (Joint with Mesoscale Auroral and Polar Cap Dynamics and Substorms focus groups)

We will discuss the following topics: 

  -- Ionospheric signatures of magnetopause reconnection and FTEs 
  -- Possible dayside-nightside coupling (remote observations, modeling, tests for in-situ multi-point observations) 
  -- The role of the ionosphere in transient day- and night-side reconnection-related processes

Contributions from ground- and space-based observers as well as from modelers are welcome.  Please contact Brian Walsh <bwalsh at bu.edu> if you are interested in being part of the discussion.

Tuesday 6/21, PM1 - 1:30pm-3:30pm (Joint with Dayside Kinetic and Transient Phenomena focus groups)

This session will encourage cross-focus group interaction and open ended discussion on the topics of magnetopause reconnection, flux-transfer events, Kelvin-Helmholtz instability, magnetopause waves, and other boundary layer processes. Talks on MMS-related studies and modeling with the emphasis on global magnetospheric aspects of reconnection are especially encouraged.  Please contact Yi-Hsin Liu <yi-hsin.liu at nasa.gov> by Friday, June 10 if you are interested in being part of the discussion.

Friday 6/24, PM1 - 1:30pm-3:30pm (Individual session)

This session will be an open forum for discussion of topics about reconnection in the magnetosphere.  It may include discussion from any of the earlier sessions as interest dictates.  In addition, there will be an update on efforts to incorporate kinetic modeling into NASA’s CCMC.  We also hope there is time for a discussion on topics of interest for next year, and the potential future of the reconnection focus group beyond when the current version ends next year.  Please contact Paul Cassak <Paul.Cassak at mail.wvu.edu> if you would like to offer a discussion topic.

We look forward to seeing you at the sessions!  Please let one of the organizers know if you have any comments, questions or suggestions.

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4. 2016 Joint GEM-CEDAR: Call for Participation in the "Inner Magnetosphere Cross-Energy/Population Interactions (IMCEPI)" Sessions
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From: Colby Lemon, Mike Liemohn, Yiqun Yu, Jichun Zhang (yiqunyu17 at gmail.com)

Dear Colleagues, 

We invite you to participate in the GEM Focus Group “Inner Magnetosphere Cross-Energy/Population Interactions (IMCEPI)” at the 2016 CEDAR-GEM Workshop at Santa Fe, New Mexico. We would like to solicit short talks focused on the inner magnetosphere coupling physics, as well as the coupling to the ionosphere system. 

Session 1 (13:30-15:30, Monday, 06/20, O’Keefe+Milagro+Kearny): Joint with GEM Focus Group “storm-time inner magnetosphere ionosphere convection (STIMIC)” 

A thorough understanding of the inner magnetosphere dynamics requires an integrated investigation of the magnetosphere ionosphere system, as the ionosphere provides the inner magnetosphere with an energy reservoir through particle precipitation as well as feedbacks with convectional/pulsing electric field that changes the transport of energetic particles in plasmasphere/ring current. 

In this joint session, we would like to solicit studies on the impacts of large-scale or transient electric fields on inner magnetosphere populations, and on the role of particle precipitation of magnetospheric origin on the ionospheric electrodynamics. Topics include but not limit to the improvement of electric field self-consistency in global models, establishment of the connection between inner magnetosphere populations and convective or SAPS electric field, and the influence of precipitation on the ionospheric conductivity, etc.

Session 2 (13:30-15:30, Friday 06/24, Sweeney C): plasma wave dynamics and coupling with inner magnetosphere populations. 

In this session, we will focus on magnetospheric particle dynamics and their role in the generation of plasma waves, and the feedback effect of plasma wave dynamics on the dynamics of plasmasphere, ring current, and radiation belts,  

Session 3 (16:00-18:00, Friday 06/24, Sweeney C): coupling between fields and plasma, and discussion on challenge events. 

We will focus on the interactions between plasma and electric/magnetic fields in the mid-tail to inner magnetosphere/ionosphere region, and the role of mid-tail dynamics on the inner magnetosphere dynamics.

We will also discuss on challenge events. Topics of challenge include ionospheric conductance challenge, role of electric field, etc. We invite you to participate in the following challenge events and other interesting ones: a) January 25-26, 2013; b) March 17, 2013.

Please let us know if you are interested in presenting your research!

Best regards,

IMCEPI co-chairs:
Colby Lemon (colby.lemon at aero.org)
Mike Liemohn (liemohn at umich.edu)
Yiqun Yu (yiqunyu17 at gmail.com)
Jichun Zhang (jichun.zhang at unh.edu)

SIMIC co-chairs:
Joseph Baker (jo.baker at vt.edu)
Stanislav Sazykin (sazykin at rice.edu)
J. Michael Ruohoniemi (mikeruo at vt.edu)
Peter Chi (pchi at igpp.ucla.edu)
Mark Engebretson(engebret at augsburg.edu)

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5. 2016 Joint GEM-CEDAR: “Quantitative Assessment of Radiation Belt Modeling” Focus Group -- Call for Presentations
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From: Weichao Tu, Wen Li, Jay Albert, and Steve Morley (wetu at mail.wvu.edu)

We would like to solicit short presentations relevant to the following four sessions, including three independent sessions and one joint session with the “ULF Wave Modeling, Effects, and Applications” FG. 

Session 1 (Tue, 01:30-03:30 PM): “Radiation Belt (RB) particles and modeling”. We solicit short presentations discussing the observational and modeling results for the acceleration, transport, and loss of radiation belt particles. Possible topics also include the required inputs for driving RB simulations, such as seed particle populations, plasma density, magnetic field configuration, last closed drift shell, etc., and non-traditional mechanisms such as drift orbit bifurcations.

Session 2 (Wed, 01:30-03:30 PM): “Waves and local interactions”. We solicit short presentations focusing on characterizing various wave properties that are required as inputs to RB models. In this session we will focus on waves and structures that can have local interactions with RB particles, such as, chorus, hiss, EMIC waves, magnetosonic waves, nonlinear structures, etc., and their effects on RB particles.

Session 3 (Fri, 01:30-03:30 PM): “ULF waves and nonlocal transport”. This is the joint session with “ULF Wave Modeling, Effects, and Applications” FG.  Since the two FGs have common interest in understanding ULF wave driven radiation belt transport, we call for short presentations that focus on ULF waves and address the role of ULF waves in the acceleration, transport, and loss of RB particles. Possible topics include ULF wave characterization, radial diffusion coefficients, diffusive versus non-diffusive transport, etc.

Session 4 (Fri, 04:00-06:00 PM): “RB "dropout" and "buildup" challenges and future plans”. This session will focus on the four "challenge" events that have been selected by the community:
#1. Stormtime Enhancement: 2013-03-17/00 UT to 2013-03-19/00 UT 
#2. Stormtime Dropout: 2013-05-31/00 UT to 2013-06-03/00 UT
#3. Non-storm Enhancement: 2013-09-19/00 UT to 2013-09-21/00 UT
#4. Non-storm Dropout: 2013-09-23/00 UT to 2013-09-26/00 UT 
We encourage presentations on the RB modeling results of these events as well as studies specifying the required inputs for modeling the RB dynamics during these events (e.g., various magnetospheric waves, plasmapause and density models, electron PSD data). More information on these events and the available resources can be found at our GEM wiki page (http://www-ssc.igpp.ucla.edu/gemwiki/index.php/FG:_Quantitative_Assessment_of_Radiation_Belt_Modeling). At last, we will wrap up and plan for future FG activities.

If you would like to present in any of these sessions, please send your talk title and the relevant session number to Weichao Tu (wetu at mail.wvu.edu) by June 12th, 2016. Our FG activities and announcements will be updated in the GEM wiki page.

Thank you very much in advance for your contributions!

Weichao Tu, Wen Li, Jay Albert, and Steve Morley

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