International workshop on

M-I-T coupling and space weather disturbances

Shandong University, Weihai, China, August 8-10, 2016

Geospace disturbances take place in different forms, depending significantly on location. With a system science perspective, however, variations from polar, auroral, and subauroral, to equatorial latitudes are merely various components of the coupling magnetosphere-ionosphere-thermosphere (M-I-T) system. We are convening an international workshop to address key M-I-T coupling processes responsible for geospace disturbances on various spatial and temporal scales.

We invite presentations that demonstrate new achievements in understanding the geospace system and space weather disturbances, including but not limited to global distributions and variations of ionospheric plasma densities, dynamics, and irregularities. Studies using observations made with ground-based and in-situ instruments(i.e., GNSS Receivers, ISRs, SuperDARN, all sky imagers, MMS/THEMIS/ Cluster/DMSP/SWARM satellites, etc.) and numerical modeling techniques are solicited. Some of the specific topics to be covered in this workshop include:

1. 1. Polar ionization patches as M-I coupling tracers;

2. 2. Ionospheric upflow and outflow processes;

3. 3. Irregularities and GPS scintillation

4. 4. High-latitude plasma and neutral convections;

5. 5.Subauroral M-I-T coupling;

6. 6.Inner-magnetospheric and plasmaspheric energetic particles and ionospheric effects.

This workshop will be held during August 8-10, 2016 in Shandong University (Weihai), China. Shandong University (Weihai) has vigorous space science research programs in the Center for Space Weather Sciences covering a variety of space science aspects in solar, magnetospheric and ionospheric physics areas. More information about the Center may be foundhere. General information about Weihai may be foundhere.

Prof. Qinghe Zhang (Shandong University, China) and Dr. Shunrong Zhang (MIT Haystack Observatory, USA) are conveners of the workshop. Please send your suggestions and comments to them. Prof. Qinghe Zhang and Dr. Zanyang Xing will be serving as the local organizers, and may be reached atzhangqinghe@sdu.edu.cnandxingzanyang@sdu.edu.cn.