This project will quantify the temporal and spatial variation of the global reconnection rates for a large range of solar wind conditions. The reconnection rate will be calculated by using the change in the magnetic flux that crosses the open-to-closed field line boundary. The calculation will make use of satellite images to determine the polar cap boundary and its changes while SuperDARN observations and the AMIE technique will be used to calculate polar cap convection. The AMIE technique uses ground magnetic observations. The calculations will give the reconnection rates for both magnetopause and magnetotail reconnection. They will be carried out for a wide range of magnetospheric activity including steady magnetospheric convection events, substorms and CME and CIR storms. They will create in SuperMAG a repository of the observations and code that will allow calculations of reconnection potentials for any solar wind and magnetospheric conditions.
The work will support a graduate student and the team at APL will continue to be active in STEM education at all levels.