Investigating Earth's Outer Atmosphere via X-Ray Emissions

Jaewoong Jung
Research Assistant Professor
University of Rhode Island

Wed, October 9, 2024 - 4:00 PM.
Streaming on Zoom
In Hannan 108 (Auditorium)

This presentation will focus on the study of soft X-ray emissions from Earth's magnetosphere. When highly charged solar wind particles interact with neutral atoms in Earth's outer atmosphere, a process called charge exchange occurs, leading to the emission of X-ray photons. These emissions offer a unique method for imaging the interaction between the solar wind and Earth's magnetic field. By capturing X-ray images from satellites, it becomes possible to quickly map the distribution of solar wind plasma and track the movement of the dayside magnetopause, the boundary that separates Earth's magnetosphere from the solar wind. This movement provides valuable insight into how energy from the Sun interacts with Earth's space environment.

To further investigate these interactions, the exosphere, Earth's outermost atmospheric layer, is modeled to study the distribution of neutral particles. The objective is to quantify the neutral density within the exosphere by simulating particle motion influenced by gravitational forces. These simulations, when compared with atmospheric models, improve our understanding of the exosphere’s structure and its role in solar wind interactions.

If you have any questions about the Colloquium Series, would like to request disability accommodations  or would like to make a donation please contact the Physics Department, cua-physics@cua.edu or  call (202) 319-5315.