Global and local geospace modeling in ISTP

• Published in: Space science reviews 1995-02, Vol.71 (1-4), p.671-690
• Main Authors: Papadopoulos, K., Lyon, J. G., Goodrich, C. C., Cargill, P. J., Sharma, A. S., Kulkarni, R., Chang, CL. L., Mankofsky, A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0038-6308; 1572-9672
• DOI: 10.1007/BF00751346

The objective of the University of Maryland ISTP (International Solar Terrestrial Physics) theory project is the development of the analytical and computational tools, which, combined with the data collected by the space and ground-based ISTP sensors, will lead to the construction of the first causal and predictive global geospace model. To attain this objective, a research project composed of four complementary parts is conducted. First, the global interaction of the solar wind-magnetosphere system is studied using 3-D MHD simulations. Appropriate results of these simulations are made available to other ISTP investigators through the Central Data Handling Facility (CDHF) in a format suitable for comparison with the observations from the ISTP spacecraft and ground instruments. Second, simulations of local processes are performed using a variety of non-MHD codes (hybrid, particle, and multifluid) to study critical magnetospheric boundary layers, such as the magnetopause and the magnetotail. Third, a strong analytic effort using recently developed methods of nonlinear dynamics is conducted, to provide a complementary semiempirical understanding of the nonlinear response of the magnetosphere and its parts to the solar wind input. The fourth part will be conducted during and following the data retrieval and its objective is to utilize the data base in conjunction with the above models to produce the next generation of global and local magnetospheric models. (Author)