Space Physics
We analyze the local dynamics of magnetotail reconnection onset using Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) data. In conjunction with MMS, the macroscopic dynamics of this event were captured by a number of other ground and space-based…
We analyze a magnetotail reconnection onset event on 3 July 2017 that was observed under otherwise quiescent magnetospheric conditions by a fortuitous conjunction of six space and ground-based observatories. The study investigates the…
Certain forms of solar wind transients contain significant enhancements of dynamic pressure and may effectively drive magnetosphere dynamics, including substorms and storms. An integral element of such driving is the generation of a wide…
The interplanetary coronal mass ejections (ICMEs) can pose significant impacts on the Martian ionosphere, resulting in plasma depletion, variability, and escape to space. However, the connections between the ICMEs and the associated…
We study the effect of sampling windows on derived shock and associated energetic storm particle (ESP) properties in 296 fast-forward interplanetary shocks using ACE measurements at 1 au between 02/1998 - 08/2013. We vary the time windows…
Space plasma studies frequently use in situ magnetic field measurements taken from many spacecraft simultaneously. A useful data product of these measurements is the reconstructed magnetic field in a volume near the spacecraft observatory.…
The Galactic cosmic ray spectrum manifests pronounced variations over the 11-year sunspot cycle and more subtle variations over the 22-year solar magnetic cycle. An important tool to study these variations is repeated latitude surveys with…
The Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) mission has been orbiting Mars since 2014 and now has over 10,000 orbits which we use to characterize Mars' dynamic space environment. Through global field line tracing with MAVEN magnetic…
The advent of the modular CubeSat satellite architecture has heralded a revolution in satellite missions, drastically lowering the technical and financial barriers to space. Surface charging resulting from energetic electron poses a direct…
How thermal particles are accelerated to suprathermal energies is an unsolved issue, crucial for many astrophysical systems. We report novel observations of irregular, dispersive enhancements of the suprathermal particle population upstream…
The large-scale magnetic structure of interplanetary coronal mass ejections (ICMEs) has been shown to affect the galactic cosmic ray (GCR) flux measured in situ by spacecraft, causing temporary decreases known as Forbush decreases (Fds). In…
The transport of energetic charged particles through magnetized plasmas is ubiquitous in interplanetary space and astrophysics, and the important physical quantities are the along-field and cross-field spatial diffusion coefficients of…
We present a statistical analysis of ion distributions in magnetic reconnection jets using data from the Magnetospheric Multiscale spacecraft. Compared with the quiet plasma in which the jet propagates, we often find anisotropic and…
The Space Time Explorer and QUantum Equivalence principle Space Test (STE-QUEST) recently proposed, aims at performing a precision test of the weak equivalence principle (WEP), a fundamental cornerstone of General Relativity. Taking…
Accurate determination of Cassini's spacecraft potential in Titan's ionosphere is important for interpreting measurements by its low energy plasma instruments. Estimates of the floating potential varied significantly, however, between the…
In this study we present AI Prediction of Equatorial Plasma Bubbles (APE), a machine learning model that can accurately predict the Ionospheric Bubble Index (IBI) on the Swarm spacecraft. IBI is a correlation ($R^2$) between perturbations…
Standard models of force balance along Jovian field lines predict the location of the Io plasma torus to be the centrifugal equator of Jupiter's magnetosphere, i.e. the position along the magnetic field lines farthest away from Jupiter's…
The magnetotail current sheet's spatial configuration and stability control the onset of magnetic reconnection - the driving process for magnetospheric substorms. The near-Earth current sheet has been thoroughly investigated by numerous…
In the pursuit of lunar exploration and the investigation of water presence on the lunar surface, a comprehensive understanding of plasma-surface interactions is crucial since the regolith's space weathering can create H$_2$O. However, the…
The complex interplay between the Solar Wind and the lunar surface serves as a quintessential example of space weathering. However, uncertainties persist regarding the influence of plasma originating from Earth's ionosphere, necessitating a…