Space plasma theory and simulation. Activities address the linear and nonlinear dynamics of macroscopic current carrying plasma systems with applications in the fields of solar wind-magnetosphere interaction, magnetotail dynamics, and the formation and evolution of discrete auroral structures. Current work addresses the three-dimensional evolution of the plasma and the magnetic flux transport at the magnetospheric boundary, the magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling, and the formation of current filaments and thin discrete auroral arc structures.

Research results and overviews are presented in the pages listed on the right. Magnetic reconnection and Kelvin Helmholtz modes are central processes at the magnetospheric boundary and couple the magnetosphere to the solar wind. Magnetotail dynamics plays a major role for magnetic substorms and the associated auroral activity. Processes associated with the interaction between the magnetosphere and the ionosphere (upper atmsophere) are discussed in magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling.
 
 

Magnetic Reconnection:

• Basics (2D)

• Asymmetries (2D)

• Flux transfer signatures (2D)

• Hall MHD (2D)

• Basics in 3D

• Flux transfer (3D)

Plasma Entry (Kelvin Helmholtz Modes):

• Basics properties

• Observation and simulation

• KH modes and reconnection

• KH instability in 3D

• GEM '07 presentation

Magnetotail Dynamics:

• Current sheet thinnning

• Field-aligned currents and crosstail magnetic field

Magnetosphere-Ionosphere Coupling:

• Formation of field-aligned current sheets

• Current sheet dynamics

• Magnetosphere ionosphere simulation

• Io - Jupiter interaction

Eric Adamson
Richard J. Stevens
John Styers

Past:
Quinxue Chen (Ph.D.), Vincent Dols (M.S.), Fred Hall IV, Katariina Nykyri (Ph.D.), Lin Zhang (Ph.D.), Hua Zhu (Ph.D.)

Numerical Simulation of Fluids and Plasmas
Magnetospheric Physics
Plasma Physics

Links:
Magnetospheric Physics Group
Physics Department
Space Physics Group at the GI
Geophysical Institute
UAF

Biographical Sketch

Contact:

Antonius Otto
Geophysical Institute
University of Alaska
903 Koyukuk Drive
Fairbanks, AK 99775-7320
USA

Phone:

+1 (907) 474-6169

Fax:

+1 (907) 474-7290

Email:

ao@how.gi.alaska.edu

www:

http://what.gi.alaska.edu