Exploring The Response of The Magnetosphere to Terrestrial Weather using MAGE/TIEGCM

This project investigates how large-scale meteorological disturbances, such as sudden stratospheric warmings (SSWs), drive variability throughout the coupled magnetosphere-ionosphere-thermosphere (MIT) system. While previous studies have clarified the role of lower atmospheric forcing in shaping IT dynamics, the extent to which this forcing imprints on magnetospheric structure and variability remains poorly constrained. To address this, we use the fully coupled Multiscale Atmosphere-Geospace Environment (MAGE) model to examine how lower boundary conditions modulate the electrodynamic environment during the January 2013 SSW. Through targeted, high-resolution simulations, this study aims to (1) quantify the spatial and temporal impact of large-scale lower atmospheric forcing on the upper ionosphere and magnetosphere and (2) explore the dynamical coupling mechanisms involved. By elucidating how terrestrial weather interacts with ionospheric conductivity and modulates electric fields and plasma redistribution, this work addresses key gaps in understanding cross-scale MIT coupling. It also provides community-accessible MAGE outputs to support ongoing research and informs strategies for improved space weather modeling.