About the project
The aurora is an inherently electrical phenomenon, and electric fields and currents associated with aurora cause heating of the upper atmosphere, leading to expansion and drag on spacecraft. But how are the currents structured around auroral arcs of different types and widths, and what controls their variability?
A complex system of electric currents flows through Earth's dynamic magnetosphere. A key part of this system is the resistive ionosphere, which acts as a load in the circuit. Although we have a large-scale picture of the current flow between the ionosphere and magnetosphere, observations show that the currents are much more structured and dynamic than this large-scale picture represents.
At smaller scales our understanding becomes increasingly limited, but understanding the small-scale dynamics is key to understanding the physics of magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling and associated heating of the atmosphere. The aurora is a signature of charged particle precipitation into the polar atmosphere. These particles carry part of the magnetic field-aligned current between the magnetosphere and ionosphere, which closes through the ionosphere. This whole system varies rapidly in time and space.
You'll investigate the current flow and electric potential structure associated with auroral arcs of different types and widths. You'll use measurements of field-aligned currents made by spacecraft together with observations from Southampton’s high-resolution auroral cameras. Ground-based radar and optical observations of the aurora can be used to measure temperatures and densities of the ionosphere and neutral atmosphere, which we can use to determine the ionospheric conductivity.
One possible direction for the project is to use a 3D computational model to investigate how the ionospheric conductivity influences the structuring and dynamics of the current flow. The combination of state-of-the-art observations and computational modelling will be a powerful tool to advance our understanding of magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling and auroral dynamics.
The School of Physics and Astronomy is committed to promoting equality, diversity inclusivity as demonstrated by our Athena SWAN award. We welcome all applicants regardless of their gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation or age, and will give full consideration to applicants seeking flexible working patterns and those who have taken a career break.
The University has a generous maternity policy, onsite childcare facilities, and offers a range of benefits to help ensure employees’ well-being and work-life balance. The University of Southampton is committed to sustainability and has been awarded the Platinum EcoAward.