Physics & Astronomy Colloquium: Allison N. Jaynes, University of Iowa

Title: Energetic particles, all the way down

Abstract: The aurora is a fascinating display in Earth’s atmosphere that connects to dynamics in the magnetosphere both directly and indirectly. Typically, research is confined to one “end” of the process or the other: the auroral physics in the ionosphere or the particle and wave dynamics in the magnetosphere. In this talk, I will discuss the connection between the two including (1) the generation of energetic precipitation within the ring current and radiation belts, (2) the type of aurora this precipitation produces, and (3) the implications of high-energy precipitation into Earth’s lower atmosphere. By observing and studying the entire chain of events, from magnetospheric driving to the resulting impacts on the atmosphere, we can start to connect seemingly distinct physical processes to each other and gain a better understanding of system-level science.