Atmospheric and ionospheric responses to geomagnetic storms observed by NASA’s Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON) and Global-scale Observations of the Limb and Disk (GOLD)
Yen-Jung Wu, Staff Researcher
Space Sciences Laboratory
Applications for Spring 2024 are closed for this project.
As we enter a new era of space exploration, space weather has garnered significant attention. About 100 years ago, scientists discovered that the Sun's activity influences our planet through the solar wind plasma and energetic particle burst. Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) are large expulsions of plasma and magnetic fields from the Sun's corona. When a CME is directed toward Earth, a humongous amount of solar wind particles reaches our planet, leading to what is known as geomagnetic storms.The most well-known effect of geomagnetic storms is the spectacular aurora phenomena in polar regions. However, the impact of geomagnetic storms is not confined to high-latitude areas; it can significantly affect both the neutral atmosphere and ionosphere globally.
This project aims to analyze data measured by NASA’s Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON) and the Global-scale Observations of the Limb and Disk (GOLD) missions to monitor the impact of geomagnetic storms on the upper atmosphere and ionosphere. GOLD, located in a geostationary orbit above the Atlantic Ocean/American continent, provides continuous views of changes on a single longitude sector, while ICON's orbit covers all longitudes providing a global view. By utilizing data collected when ICON and GOLD operated simultaneously, we aim to gain a better understanding of the impact of geomagnetic storms on near-Earth space.
Role: The selected student will collaborate with the ICON mission science team to learn the physics behind the storm effects on the upper atmosphere and ionosphere. Technical tasks for the student will involve accessing, processing, and analyzing observational data from both ICON and GOLD using Python. The mid-term objective is to generate effective visualizations illustrating changes in neutral parameters (wind, temperature, composition, etc.) and plasma characteristics (ion density and velocity) during storm events. The ultimate goal is for the student to deliver a presentation highlighting the similarities and differences between two storm cases, offering an articulate explanation of the potential mechanisms involved. Regular in-person discussions at the Space Sciences Lab will be a requirement, scheduled once a week.
Qualifications: Freshmen are encouraged to apply. We are seeking students who have successfully completed general physics courses and possess basic hands-on experience with Python.
Hours: to be negotiated
Off-Campus Research Site: This project can be conducted remotely. The weekly in-person discussions at the Space Sciences Lab will be the only occasion that the student needs to be on site. The lab is at the last stop of the Hill Line shuttle, which runs every 30 minutes. It is a 10-minute bus ride from the Mining Circle stop.
Related website: https://icon.ssl.berkeley.edu/
Related website: https://gold.cs.ucf.edu