Lecturer: Hans Nilsson (IRF) Date: 2006-05-11 10:00 Place: Aniara
Characteristics of high altitude oxygen ion energization and what we can learn
from that
Hans Nilsson
Swedish Institute of Space Physics
Abstract.
Results from a statistical study of oxygen and hydrogen ions at high altitude
above the polar cap is presented. First we discuss why we are looking at this
particular problem to make an introduction to the non-specialists in the
audience. We then show how we have worked with the data and how we intend to
continue this work to learn even more. The results are put into a larger
context where we discuss the importance for the total oxygen outflow and
circulation in the Earth's magnetosphere. We then discuss if the results have
a more general validity, can they be applied in other plasma environments in
the universe, such as at Mars, comets or in cosmological plasmas? Finally we
take one more step and discuss if the results are of more general
significance, i.e. for the evolution of atmospheres, increase of funding and
other important scientific questions.
