OpenGGCM

The Open Geospace General Circulation Model (OpenGGCM) is the primary model used in our research. It is a global model of Earth's geospace environment, from the solar wind and interplanetary magnetic field (which is input to the model) to the upper atmosphere and ionosphere. The OpenGGCM is comprised of several submodels, in particlar: (i) a 3D Cartesian time dependent solver for the MHD equations (outer magnetosphere), (ii) magnetosphere-ionosphere mapping modules that compute e- precipitation and field-aligned currents (FACs) flowing into the ionosphere, (iii) a ionosphere potential solver, (iv) the CTIM 3D dynamic thermosphere-ionosphere model (developed by Tim Fuller-Rowell), (v.a) the Rice Convection Model (RCM) for the inner magnetosphere (developed at Rice University), or alternatively (v.b) the Comprehensive Ring Current Model (CRCM) developed by Mei-Ching Fok at NASA/GSFC. Other submodels such as a asymmetric potential solver and a radiation belt model are in development. More detailed information about the OpenGGCM can be found on the OpenGGCM wiki page and at the NASA/CCMC page where the OpenGGCM is available as a community model for runs on demand.