To address the science questions proposed above requires a systems science approach that can take into account the coupling among the different regions in the near-earth space system, as well as…

This $726,353 federal grant award to the Regents of the University of Michigan funds a research project to study the dynamics and coupling of Earth's magnetosphere, ionosphere, and atmosphere and their response to solar and terrestrial inputs. The project will employ a systems science approach, utilizing advanced numerical models from the University of Michigan's Space Weather Modeling Framework as well as comprehensive observations from NASA's Heliophysics System Observatory and other ground-based instruments. The research is directly relevant to two science goals in the Heliophysics Decadal Survey and will contribute to NASA's Geospace Dynamics Coupling mission. The project is not set aside for any specific socioeconomic category. This grant award is part of the University of Michigan's extensive federal research portfolio, which includes contracts and grants from agencies like the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, and Department of Defense, covering a wide range of scientific domains.

To address the science questions proposed above requires a systems science approach that can take into account the coupling among the different regions in the near-earth space system, as well as taking advantage of the synergies between advanced numerical models and multi-instrument observations. A suite of state-of-the-art numerical models available through the university of michigan s space weather modeling framework (swmf) will be employed in this project. In addition, comprehensive observations from the NASA heliophysics system observatory (HSO), such as ACE, wind, gold, guvi and twins, and ground-based instruments, in particular gnss receivers and radars, will be analyzed to obtain physical insights into the underlying processes responsible for ionospheric storms and be utilized as input and as constraints for model benchmark and validation purposes. Data from the icon mission will also be used when available. Our science objective is directly relevant to two science goals in the heliophysics decadal survey: 2. Determine the dynamics and coupling of earth s magnetosphere, ionosphere, and atmosphere and their response to solar and terrestrial inputs 4. Discover and characterize fundamental processes (e.g., ION-neutral coupling) that occur both within the heliosphere and throughout the universe. Results obtained from this work will directly contribute to NASA geospace dynamics coupling (GDC) mission. In addition, ionospheric disturbances and thermospheric expansion are two of the five space weather disturbances highlighted in the president s space weather action plan (swan). Our proposed efforts will result in improved scientific knowledge about them, which will lead to improved forecasts and thus have important practical benefits."