Project Grant 2225463

This three-year, $1,194,210 project grant from the National Science Foundation's Geosciences program (CFDA 47.050) will support the development of empirical and physics-informed machine learning models of collisionless shock waves. The Johns Hopkins University will utilize over 10,000 crossings of Earth's bow shock from NASA spacecraft to create a parameterized, three-dimensional model of the global bow shock structure. Additionally, the researchers will develop a model for general collisionless shocks at ion-kinetic scales by coupling machine learning with fundamental physical principles. These data-driven and physics-informed models aim to accurately capture Earth's bow shock under varying conditions and provide predictive capabilities for other planetary and astrophysical collisionless shocks. The diverse project team will also offer dedicated research opportunities for underrepresented academic communities. The work directly supports the Geosciences program's goal of expanding fundamental earth science knowledge through basic research.