HR: 15:10h
AN: SM33D-07 INVITED     [Abstracts]
TI: Ionospheric Electric Field and Energetic Particles; Past Successes, Future Challenges
AU: * RODGER, A S
EM: asro@bas.ac.uk
AF: British Antarctic Survey, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0ET United Kingdom
AB: The International Geophysical Year (1957-58) saw a step-increase in the number of ionospheric observations in both polar regions and the establishment of the World Data Centres allowing free exchange of information. Exploitation of these data from such networks of observatories, combined with the early satellite measurements, demonstrated that electric fields and energetic particles driven by solar wind-magnetosphere interactions are of paramount importance in determining the structure and dynamics of the high-latitude ionosphere. Over the next five decades, much greater understanding of the interactions of the solar wind-magnetosphere-ionosphere system has been achieved. Many features and phenomena can now be predicted with a good degree of accuracy, given the initial solar wind conditions. A few scientific milestones will be presented, many of which have resulted from technical innovations, such as coherent and incoherent radars, and optical imaging. The International Heliophysical and Polar Years offer an excellent opportunity to address the outstanding issues of geospace research. Specific examples will be described. These include the spatial and temporal deposition of energy into the ionosphere and thermosphere by particles and electric fields both on the day side and nightside as a result of reconnection and substorms, and the interaction of micro-scale processes on the meso and macro-scale structure of the coupled system. Such complex topics can now be addressed for the first time with the enhanced capabilities of the ground-based networks of observatories, well complemented by remote sensing from satellites. The outcome will be much improved understanding of the closely-coupled SW-M-I-T system and hence better predictions both for space weather and Sun-Earth connections.
DE: 2411 Electric fields (2712)
SC: SPA-Magnetospheric Physics [SM]
MN: Fall Meeting 2005