Summary

Magnetic reconnection (MR) is a process in which opposing magnetic field lines merge. If magnetic reconnection occurs between the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) and Earth’s magnetic field, solar-wind plasma particles are permitted to enter the region of space near Earth (the geospace), potentially causing space weather events that could impact satellites in Earth orbit, as well as power systems on Earth. Your challenge is to develop a computer program for the public that analyzes the IMF vector components measured by spacecraft to assess how often magnetic reconnection occurs.

Background

Magnetic Reconnection (MR) is a process in which opposing magnetic field lines merge. If magnetic reconnection occurs between the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) and Earth’s magnetic field, solar-wind plasma particles are permitted to enter the region of space near Earth (the geospace). When MR occurs, the plasma transport processes inside the geospace are altered, which can lead to space weather events that can damage the satellites we use for communications and navigation or even disrupt power grids that provide our electricity here on Earth.

NASA’s Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) and Wind missions and NOAA’s Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) mission are located at Lagrange point 1 (a location about one million miles towards the Sun from Earth) and routinely measure the IMF. The IMF is a vector that can be characterized by three independent components (X, Y, Z). In the Geocentric Solar Magnetospheric (GSM) Coordinate System, the X-axis points from Earth to the Sun. The Y-axis is defined to be perpendicular to the Earth's magnetic dipole so that the X-Z plane contains the Earth's dipole axis. The positive Z-axis is in the direction of Earth's northern magnetic pole. A crucial condition for magnetic reconnection is simultaneous occurrence of opposite polarities of the Z components of the IMF and the Z component of Earth’s magnetic field.

Objectives

Your challenge is to develop a computer program for the public that performs statistical and/or spectral analysis of the vector components of the IMF measured by the ACE, WIND, and DSCOVR missions to assess how often magnetic reconnection occurs. Your analysis will provide vital information regarding how frequently solar wind particles and energy gain access into the geospace environment and potentially cause space weather effects.

Potential Considerations

You may (but are not required to) consider the following:

When addressing this challenge, you will read a large set of interplanetary magnetic field data from NASA databases and develop a computer program to analyze this data. Can you also explain the results of your analysis?

For data and resources related to this challenge, refer to the Resources tab at the top of the page.

NASA Space Apps 2023

Magnetic Reconnection