Dartmouth Events

Physics & Astronomy/Thayer Plasma Seminar - Robert Clayton, Dartmouth College

Title: "Two Dimensional Maps of in Situ Ionospheric Plasma Flow Data Near Auroral Arcs Utilizing Auroral Imagery"

Tuesday, November 13, 2018
3:30pm – 4:30pm
Wilder 202
Intended Audience(s): Public
Categories: Lectures & Seminars

Abstract: Existing auroral data products are insufficient for ionospheric simulation input on small (sub kilometer) spatial scale and high (second) time resolution near the boundaries of arc structures. Ideally, two-dimensional data maps of the relevant parameters over these small scales would provide models with constraining inputs.  Available in situ data have the time and spatial resolution for small scale features, but only provide a 1-d cut through the structure.  Groundbased data can provide 2-d maps, but are typically much lower resolution in time and space than is required to accurately interpret the small scale structure near an arc.  This paper provides a method to construct two-dimensional maps of auroral parameters from the combination of one-dimensional in situ data cuts with groundbased (2-d and time) camera imagery.  Arc boundaries for each image are defined and the available 1-d ionospheric flow data are replicated into many 1-d cuts at different points along the arc, yielding an irregularly sampled 2-d flow map.  These mapped data are fitted to a regular grid via a divergence minimization routine to generate a regularly sampled flow field that is enforced as divergence free.  Comparison of the generated 2-d data maps to available information from camera inversions and other data products are shown, as are assumptions made through the replication process and alternative strategies.  Reconstructed flow maps are shown to capture the small scale features near arc boundaries, and to follow the time evolution of the arc structure by comparisons to imagery.

For more information, contact:
Tressena Manning
603-646-2854

Events are free and open to the public unless otherwise noted.