Research Projects

Cross-Scale Wave Coupling Processes in Kelvin-Helmholtz Structures

PI Heidi Nykyri

Project investigates cross-scale wave coupling processes and their role on ion heating, mixing and diffusion.

One of the pending problems in collisionless plasmas is to understand the plasma heating and transport across three fundamental scales: fluid, ion and electron. The plasma inside Earth’s magnetotail plasma sheet is ~50 times hotter than in the magnetosheath. Furthermore, the specific entropy increases by two orders of magnitude from the magnetosheath to the magnetosphere, which is a signature of a strong non-adiabatic heating. Also, the cold component ions are hotter by ~30 % at the dawnside compared to those measured on the duskside. Our recent statistical study using THEMIS data indicates that the magnetosheath seed population is not responsible for this asymmetry so additional physical mechanisms at the magnetopause or plasma sheet must be at work to explain this asymmetric heating. Recent works suggest that dawn-flank magnetopause boundary is more prone to the fluid-scale Kelvin-Helmholtz instability (KHI) as well as to the ion-scale electromagnetic wave activity, which may help explain the observed plasma sheet asymmetry. Project uses numerical simulations, plasma theory and spacecraft observations to understand relation of small-scale waves to large-scale velocity driven modes and evaluate their role in mixing, diffusion, and heating of ions.

Categories: Faculty-Staff

Experimental Identification of Plasma Wave Modes in Vicinity of KH Vortices and in Plasma ’Mixing’ Regions in Low Latitude Boundary Layer (Ion scales)

PI Heidi Nykyri

Project uses Cluster spacecraft data to identify ion-scale waves within Kelvin-Helmholtz waves.

Categories: Faculty-Staff

Statistical correlation study between solar wind, magnetosheath and plasma sheet properties

PI Heidi Nykyri

CO-I Xuanye Ma

Statistical study of the solar wind, magnetosheath, and magnetospheric plasma properties usinng 8+ years of THEMIS data.

The study will utilize recently developed statistical tool developed under Nykyri's NSF CAREER grant to present 8+ years of THEMIS spacecraft data in the coordinate system that takes into account the motion of the magnetopause and bow shock and will organize THEMIS observations into spatial bins with respect to physical boundaries under prevailing solar wind conditions. The study will address how do the plasma sheet properties such as number density, temperature, electron to ion temperature ratio and specific entropy vary during a) Parker-Spiral, Ortho-parker spiral, Northward and Southward IMF, and b) during high and slow solar wind speed, and how are these correlated with corresponding magnetosheath properties?

Categories: Faculty-Staff

NSF Career Award: Effects of Magnetosheath properties on the dynamics and plasma transport produced by the Kelvin-Helmholtz Instability and on the Plasma Sheet Anisotropies

PI Heidi Nykyri

Project investigates impact of magnetosheath properties on Kelvin-Helmholtz instability

The magnetosheath processes will be studied by doing a statistical study of the magnetosheath properties using THEMIS data and by utilizing global hybrid (fluid electrons, particle ions) simulations. In addition, the MHD-scale KHI will be compared with hybrid and particle simulations of the instability.

Categories: Faculty-Staff

Turbulence and Structure in the Magnetospheric Cusps: Cluster spacecraft observations

PI Heidi Nykyri

Project analyzes the structure, origin of fluctuations and high-energy particles in the high-altitude cusp regions

Project uses Cluster data and high-resolution local 3-D MHD simulations with test particles to determine the structure and origin of high-energy particles in the high-altitude cusp

Categories: Faculty-Staff

Magnetospheric Multi-Scale (MMS) Observations and simulations of high-energy electrons in the dayside magnetosheath

PI Heidi Nykyri

CO-I Brandon Burkholder

CO-I Xuanye Ma

The key objective of this study is to better understand the source and cause of high-energy electrons observed by the MMS in the dayside magnetosheath.

The key objective of this study is to better understand the source and cause of high-energy electrons observed by the MMS in the dayside magnetosheath. The Magnetospheric Multi-Scale (MMS) mission is a four-spacecraft constellation orbiting in formation around Earth with a main goal to study the microphysics of magnetic reconnection at the dayside magnetopause. Recent MMS observations showed high energy (40 keV) electrons leaking into the magnetosheath. However, the dominant leaking mechanism has not been fully understood. Global Lyon-Fedder-Mobarry (LFM) with test particle simulations suggest that low latitude reconnection and the nonlinear Kelvin-Helmholtz (KH) instability can cause the leak of high energy electrons into the magnetosheath. But it is important to notice that many of the electrons leaking events were observed close to Fall Equinox when the MMS orbit has a significant y-component and the z_GSM coordinate can be substantial (up to ~7 R_E). Therefore, MMS high-energy electron events may have a high-latitude source. For instance, it is well demonstrated that magnetic reconnection between the Interplanetary Magnetic Field (IMF) and Earth's magnetic field surrounding the cusps can lead to the formation of cusp diamagnetic cavities (Nykyri et al., JGR 2011a,b; Adamson et al., angeo 2011), extended regions of decreased magnetic field, which can be filled with higher energy (>30 keV) electrons, protons and O+ ions. Cluster observations revealed 90-degree pitch angle electrons in the cavity, strongly suggestive of a local acceleration mechanism (Walsh, angeo 2010; Nykyri et al, JASTP 2012). Test particle simulations in a high-resolution 3D cusp model uncovered that trapped particles in the diamagnetic cavities can be accelerated when their drift paths go through regions of "reconnection quasi-potential" (Nykyri et al, JASTP 2012). Once the IMF orientation changes it is possible for trapped particles in the cavity to end up into the loss cone and "leak out" of the cavity. A systematic approach to our science objective addresses the following compelling science questions by synergy using MMS observational data and numerical simulation.

Categories: Faculty-Staff

Science and engineering proof of concept study for the Next generation Space Weather Prediction mission and space weather model development

PI Heidi Nykyri

Project analyzes astrodynamics (transfer trajectories) and spacecraft constellation stability about all Lagrange points for Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars system for the "next generation" space weather prediction mission, and develops a solar wind model which will use data from this mission

Project analyzes astrodynamics and constellation stability for the "next generation" space weather prediction mission, and develops a solar wind model which will use data from this mission

Categories: Faculty-Staff

On The Origin and Transport of Energetic Particles

PI Heidi Nykyri

CO-I Xuanye Ma

Understanding the properties, origin and dynamics of energetic particles in the solar wind and magnetosphere is crucial for safe unmanned and manned space operations. This project will unravel the birth-mechanism of the source population of the Earth's radiation belts.

Understanding the properties, origin and dynamics of energetic particles in the solar wind and magnetosphere is crucial for safe unmanned and manned space operations. Therefore, energetic particles have attracted attention from the space physics community for decades. However, different regions and energy ranges of energetic particles may have their own unique origin and role for magnetospheric dynamics, which have not been fully explored and deserve to be investigated case by case. For instance, MMS recently observed dispersionless micro-injections in the 30-300 keV electrons accompanied by strong anisotropic ion temperature at the high-latitude magnetospheric boundary layer in the vicinity of the exterior southern cusp. Due to the different magnetic field geometry, these high-latitude microinjections could have a totally different origin than the typical low-latitude microinjections. Because this region is close to the radiation belts, ionosphere, and magnetosheath, these high-latitude microinjections could be the ~ tens to hundreds of keV seed population of the radiation belts, as well as leak into the ionosphere or into the magnetosheath. This project will unravel the birth-mechanism of the source population of the Earth's radiation belts.

Categories: Faculty-Staff

Experimental Identification of Plasma Wave Modes

PI Heidi Nykyri

CO-I Rachel Rice

Project uses MMS data to identify plasma wave modes contributing to the heating of the magnetospheric boundary layer

Projects uses single and multi-spacecraft data-analysis techniques to experimentally identify various plasma modes at different frequencies and assess their contribution to plasma heating

Categories: Faculty-Staff

CyberCorps Scholarship for Service: High-skilled Workforce Development for the Aviation and Aerospace Cybersecurity Domains

PI Omar Ochoa

CO-I Keith Garfield

CO-I Laxima Niure Kandel

CO-I Krishna Sampigethaya

This project promotes workforce development in this vital sector by building on undergraduate and graduate cybersecurity programs at Embry‑Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU), where both ERAU campuses (Daytona Beach, FL and Prescott, AZ) have a history of collaborative education and research activities within the aviation and aerospace cybersecurity domain.

Aviation and aerospace cybersecurity is of critical importance to the Nation. As a key component of the overall U.S. transportation infrastructure, it protects people and contributes to American prosperity and leadership. This project promotes workforce development in this vital sector by building on undergraduate and graduate cybersecurity programs at Embry‑Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU), where both ERAU campuses (Daytona Beach, FL and Prescott, AZ) have a history of collaborative education and research activities within the aviation and aerospace cybersecurity domain. Known locally as "Cyber Eagles," the project will advance the collaboration ecosystem across education programs and research centers to prepare students for productive cybersecurity careers and leadership roles in federal and state agencies. The program will recruit diverse scholars and create a supportive environment through effective mentorship, a well-developed curriculum, student involvement activities, and research experiences. These project components will help establish a pathway that enables students to participate in an environment where they can excel and enter a rewarding career in government aviation and aerospace administration agencies.

The project aims to develop a high-skilled workforce to cover the Nation’s needs in the area of aviation and aerospace cybersecurity, focusing on the safety-criticality aspects of airborne systems and the protection of associated hardware and software assets. The project will fund 20 scholarships to students over a five-year period. Student scholars will benefit from the strong ties that ERAU has with Federal and state aviation and transportation administration agencies and the aviation and aerospace industry. Scholars will have the opportunity to meet and learn from top cybersecurity engineers and managers from government and industry through aviation and aerospace-themed projects, events, and symposia hosted by ERAU. Furthermore, the project will take advantage of on-site expertise at ERAU in all computation and communication services related to flight operations, including airborne hardware and software, avionics equipment, and network and communication data links among aircraft, ground stations, radar systems, and satellite systems. This expertise places the scholarship students in a unique position to contribute to cybersecurity protection during the design, development, and operation stages of systems specific for the aviation and aerospace domain.

This project is supported by the CyberCorps® Scholarship for Service (SFS) program, which funds proposals establishing or continuing scholarship programs in cybersecurity and aligns with the U.S. National Cyber Strategy to develop a superior cybersecurity workforce. Following graduation, scholarship recipients are required to work in cybersecurity for a Federal, state, local, or tribal Government organization for the same duration as their scholarship support.

Categories: Faculty-Staff