GEOPLASMAS

Dissipative structures and kinetic processes in the near Earth plasmas

 Partecipanti

Mappa

 Word cloud

Esplora la "nuvola delle parole (Word Cloud) per avere un'idea di massima del progetto.

 Obiettivo del progetto (Objective)

'This exchange programme has the objective to carry out research in the field of space plasmas, with particular emphasis on near Earth plasmas such as the magnetosphere, the ionosphere, and the solar wind – magnetosphere interaction. The exchange programme involves a consortium of five research institutions – the University of Calabria (Italy) (Unical), the Österreichische Akademie der Wissenshaften (Austria) (IWF), the Space Research Institute (Russia) (IKI), the Tbilisi University (Georgia) (Tbilisi Univ), and the Saint Petersburg University (Russia) (SPBU) – which have a long research experience in various fields of space plasma physics. The programme will last 36 months, with planned start at the beginning of 2011. Understanding the interaction, heating, transport, and acceleration processes of the geospace plasmas is one of the main objectives of space plasma physics and of solar terrestrial physics. The specific objectives of this exchange programme are to investigate the dissipation processes in the magnetospheric and ionospheric environment like magnetic reconnection, turbulent heating and acceleration, turbulent transport, and the influence of shear flows on the development of turbulence, as described in the four work packages: 1. Magnetic reconnection; 2. Turbulent acceleration; 3. Shear flows; 4. Plasma transport and acceleration in planetary magnetospheres. This will be achieved by a coordinated theoretical, numerical, and experimental data analysis effort, to be carried out mostly during the exchange visits. All partners have adequate infrastructures, computing facilities and access to spacecraft data, to carry out the research programme. The partners are complementary as different partners specilized either in plasma theory, or data analysis, or numerical simulations, or model development. A total of 43 months of exchange are requested. The programme will be managed by the board of team leaders, a kick-off and a final workshop will be organized.'

Descrizione progetto (Article)

When a gas is incredibly hot, some or all of its atoms are split into electrons and positively charged ions that can move around independently of one another. This ionised gas is called plasma, the fourth phase of matter in addition to solid, liquid and gas. It is an interesting mix of charged and uncharged particles, and electrical and magnetic fields.

The Earth's magnetosphere and the particles accelerated in it play an important role in space storms and space weather in general. These, in turn, can have effects on orbiting satellites and their function. The EU-funded project 'Dissipative structures and kinetic processes in the near Earth plasmas' (GEOPLASMAS) was initiated as an exchange programme by a consortium of five research institutions.

Scientists set out to study heating, transport, acceleration and interaction processes in near-Earth plasmas. Research led to many new discoveries that will be important for science policymakers given the impact on space weather and space weather forecasts. In addition, insight into near-Earth plasma from space exploration can be an invaluable tool to draw inferences about other plasma that can only be studied remotely.

Prolific and stimulating collaboration led to more than 235 publications in peer-reviewed scientific journals as well as over 50 presentations at international conferences. Strong collaborations and ties established among young researchers from the five institutions, eight of whom were women, should ensure a lasting legacy of exploration into space plasmas.