1. THEMIS and the Amazing Magnetic Flux Rope D. G. Sibeck Project Scientist NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center

2. Where does the energy come from that drives the polar aurora?

3. Sun and Magnetosphere

4. We want to testing advanced numerical simulations Looped Simulation from Nick Omidi: Shows generation of FTE bulges/blobs moving antisunward from points of origin near the subsolar point. Are they real?

5. Flux Ropes or Boundary Waves? Let THEMIS- the blindfolded Greek goddess of impartial justice decide! Flux ropesBoundary waves bulge outwardbulge one way in both directions or the other AEDCB

6. Observation and Interpretation Dusk MP Sphere Sheath -,+ We used the 5 THEMIS spacecraft to construct cross-sections indicating a flux rope detached from the magnetosphere

7. Flux Ropes Power the Magnetosphere! 1,500,000 Amps 30 kiloVolt battery in space 1 Earth Radius + - Flux rope pumps 650,000 Amp current into the arctic! + -

8. Summary 1. We used the 5 THEMIS spacecraft to identify a giant magnetic flux rope at the outer boundary of the Earth’s magnetic field. 2. We showed that the flux rope was detached from the magnetopause. 3. Flux ropes like this one apply 30 kiloVolts to the Earth and drives 650,000 amp currents into the polar cap.