Assimilating Physics-Based Model for High-Latitude Electrodynamics Specifications and Forecasts

We propose to construct a physics-based, Kalman filter, data assimilation model of high-latitude electrodynamics. Our new model will provide accurate specifications and forecasts for convection electric fields, particle precipitation, conductances, Jouleheating rates, field-aligned and ionospheric currents, and ionospheric densities in the D, E, and F regions. High-resolution patterns of the electrodynamic parameters will be calculated continuously as a function of time, and a unique feature of the modelwill be its ability to capture sharp electrodynamic boundaries and mesoscale structures. The physics-based model will be a time-dependent, high-resolution, coupled model containing a high-latitude ionospheric model and an electrodynamic model ofmagnetosphere-ionosphere coupling. The data to be assimilated will include ground-based magnetometer and radar data, in situ satellite measurements, data from imaging satellites, and GPS-TEC measurements. The data will be assimilated via a Kalman filtertechnique, which has been successfully used in meteorology and oceanography. Quality control algorithms will also be developed so that the different data types can be cleaned and reduced before assimilation. The model will be tested for robustness andvalidated for quiet and storm conditions. Finally, the electrodynamic model will be installed on AFRL computers and a user's manual will be provided.