Michael Liemohn
Associate Professor
Atmospheric, Oceanic, and Space Sciences
University of Michigan
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Plasmasphere Research Activities

I study the interaction of the plasmasphere with other charged particle populations in near-Earth space, in particular the ring current. The plasmasphere is the cold (few eV or less) ions and electrons flowing out from the ionosphere that fill the inner magnetosphere. There is usually a sharp cutoff to the radial extend of this filling, known as the plasmapause, the location of which is controlled by the near-Earth electric field. The ring current, which controls the distortions of this field in the inner magnetosphere, is therefore very important to the dynamics of the plasmasphere. I have also studied the physics of plasmaspheric refilling.

Publications on the plasmasphere

2007

Khazanov, G. V., K. V. Gamayunov, D. L. Gallagher, M. W. Liemohn, and J. U. Kozyra, Self-consistent model of magnetospheric ring current and propagating electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves, 2, Wave induced ring current precipitation and thermal electron heating, J. Geophys. Res., 112, A04209, doi: 10.1029/2006JA012033, 2007.

2006

Liemohn, M. W., A. J. Ridley, J. U. Kozyra, D. L. Gallagher, M. F. Thomsen, M. G. Henderson, M. H. Denton, P. C. Brandt, and J. Goldstein, Analyzing electric field morphology through data-model comparisons of the GEM IM/S Assessment Challenge events, J. Geophys. Res., 111, A11S11, doi: 10.1029/2006JA011700, 2006.

Liemohn, M. W., Introduction to the GEM Inner Magnetosphere/Storms Assessment Challenge, J. Geophys. Res., 111. A11S01, doi: 10.1029/2006JA011970, 2006.

2005

Liemohn, M. W., A. J. Ridley, P. C. Brandt, D. L. Gallagher, J. U. Kozyra, D. G. Mitchell, E. C. Roelof, and R. DeMajistre, Parametric analysis of nightside conductance effects on inner magnetospheric dynamics for the 17 April 2002 storm, J. Geophys. Res., 110, A12S22, doi: 10.1029/2005JA011109, 2005.

Gallagher, D. L., M. L. Adrian, and M. W. Liemohn, The origin and evolution of deep plasmaspheric notches, J. Geophys. Res., 110, A09201, doi: 10.1029/2004JA010906, 2005.

2004

Liemohn, M. W., A. J. Ridley, D. L. Gallagher, D. M. Ober, and J. U. Kozyra, Dependence of plasmaspheric morphology on the electric field description during the recovery phase of the April 17, 2002 magnetic storm, J. Geophys. Res., 109(A3), A03209, doi: 10.1029/2003JA010304, 2004.

2000

Ganguli, G., M. A. Reynolds, and M. W. Liemohn, Recent advances in plasmaspheric research, J. Atmos Solar.-Terr. Physics, 62, 1647, 2000.

Liemohn, M. W., J. U. Kozyra, P. G. Richards, G. V. Khazanov, M. J. Buonsanto, and V. K. Jordanova, Ring current heating of the thermal electrons at solar maximum, J. Geophys. Res., 105, 27,767, 2000.

Khazanov, G. V., M. W. Liemohn, J. U. Kozyra, and D. L. Gallagher, Global energy deposition to the topside ionosphere from superthermal electrons, J. Atmos. Solar-Terr. Physics, 62, 947, 2000.

Liemohn, M. W., J. U. Kozyra, G. V. Khazanov, and P. D. Craven, Effects of various transport processes on the streaming ion density during the first stage of plasmaspheric refilling, J. Atmos. Solar-Terr. Physics 62, 437, 2000.

1999

Liemohn, M. W., G. V. Khazanov, P. D. Craven, and J. U. Kozyra, Nonlinear kinetic modeling of early stage plasmaspheric refilling, J. Geophys. Res., 104, 10,295, 1999.

1998

Liemohn, M. W., and G. V. Khazanov, Determining the significance of electrodynamic coupling between superthermal electrons and thermal plasma, Geospace Mass and Energy Flow, Geophys. Monogr. Ser., vol. 104, edited by J. L. Horwitz, D. L. Gallagher, and W. K. Peterson, p. 343, AGU, Washington, D. C., 1998.

1997

Liemohn, M. W., G. V. Khazanov, and J. U. Kozyra, Guided plasmaspheric hiss interactions with superthermal electrons, 1, Resonance curves and timescales, J. Geophys. Res., 102, 11,619, 1997.

Liemohn, M. W., G. V. Khazanov, T. E. Moore, and S. M. Guiter, Self-consistent superthermal electron effects on plasmaspheric refilling, J. Geophys. Res., 102, 7523, 1997.