Dynamic Magnetosphere Ionosphere Thermosphere coupling

Project Information

DynaMIT

Grant agreement ID: 101086985

DOI

10.3030/101086985

EC signature date 15 February 2023

Start date 1 October 2023

End date 30 September 2028

Funded under

• European Research Council (ERC)

Total cost

€ 2 000 000,00

EU contribution

€ 2 000 000,00

Coordinated by

DANMARKS TEKNISKE UNIVERSITET
Denmark

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - DynaMIT (Dynamic Magnetosphere Ionosphere Thermosphere coupling)

Reporting period: 2023-10-01 to 2026-03-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Earth's upper atmosphere is part of a dynamic system that constantly exchanges energy and momentum with space. In the polar regions, charged particles guided by Earth's magnetic field collide with the neutral atmosphere, producing the aurora, and at the same time causing magnetic disturbances that can disrupt communication, navigation, and power systems. Despite decades of observation, we still lack a full understanding of how these interactions unfold, because most existing models treat the ionosphere as static and two-dimensional.

The DynaMIT project aims to change this picture by developing the first model that fully captures the time-dependent coupling between Earth's atmosphere and space. By combining theory, advanced numerical simulations, and new types of observations from space and ground, the project will reveal how electromagnetic fields, plasma, and atmospheric motion influence each other. The results will provide the missing physical framework for interpreting ionospheric data, improve our ability to predict space-weather effects on technology and climate, and open new paths for understanding how planets interact with their space environments.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

Over the reporting period, the project has made substantial progress in advancing modelling and data-assimilation capabilities for magnetosphere–ionosphere coupling. A key milestone was the publication of "How the Ionosphere Responds Dynamically to Magnetospheric Forcing" (Geophysical Research Letters, DOI:10.1029/2024GL108695). This study introduced a novel model that treats the magnetic field B and plasma velocity v as the primary variables ("B,v paradigm") rather than beginning with the electric field and currents ("E,j paradigm"). The model demonstrates how magnetospheric flow drives deformation of the ionospheric magnetic field via Faraday's law and provides a new physical interpretation of ground magnetic perturbations in terms of dynamic ionospheric coupling.

Building on this, a follow-up paper now available as an EGUsphere preprint (egusphere-2025-2051) extends the theoretical and numerical framework to more realistic geometries and parameter regimes. This represents an important step toward fully time-dependent treatment of ionospheric dynamics in magnetosphere-ionosphere simulations.

In parallel, the project contributed to NASA's Electrojet Zeeman Imaging Explorer (EZIE) mission, which was launched in March of 2025. EZIE will provide the first global measurements of auroral electrojets using the Zeeman effect. These data will be instrumental for investigating ionospheric dynamics in the DynaMIT project.

At the same time, major advances have been achieved in the development of the Local Mapping of Polar Ionospheric Electrodynamics (Lompe) technique. The original Lompe method (JGR Space Physics, DOI:10.1029/2022JA030356) introduced a flexible framework for combining ground and space-based observations into regional maps of ionospheric electrodynamics. Building on that foundation, a variant of Lompe (JGR Space Physics, DOI:10.1029/2024JA032744) expands the technique into three dimensions, enabling the reconstruction of volumetric current systems and field-aligned currents.

Collectively, these results represent a major step toward achieving DynaMIT's scientific objectives: moving from quasi-steady models of the ionosphere toward truly time-dependent, physically self-consistent representations of space–atmosphere coupling. The combination of theoretical advances and the forthcoming observational data establishes a foundation for the next phase of the project, in which the new framework will be validated and applied to key scientific questions.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

The project delivers a new two dimensional, time-dependent model for magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling that goes beyond electrostatic, steady-state treatments. By evolving B and v directly, electric fields and currents arise from the physics instead of being imposed. This reveals cause-and-effect in transient events, offers a consistent interpretation of ground and space observations, and links regional inversions like Lompe with global simulations.

A key next step is experimental validation to assess whether the model reproduces observed structures and time evolutions that static methods miss. Successful validation would justify integrating the approach into global magnetosphere simulations and data assimilation techniques. Continued access to multi-instrument datasets and computational resources will be important to secure full uptake and impact.