SWMF Users Meeting, October 13-14, 2014
SWMF in Education
Michael W. Liemohn
Atmospheric, Oceanic, and Space Sciences Dept.,
University of Michigan
Liemohn @ SWMF Users Meeting
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AOSS 477: Space Weather Modeling
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U-M offers a senior-level course in space weather
modeling
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We've taught it 5 times now
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Taken by all Space Weather concentration students in our
ESSE BSE degree program
Also taken by a fraction of the space physics PhD
students
Also taken by a few M-Eng in Space Engineering students
Recently elevated to an every-year offering
Using state-of-the-art space weather models
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Not really a programming course
We have a different one for that
Liemohn @ SWMF Users Meeting
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AOSS 477 is a report-based course
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Students use models and conduct their own space
weather numerical investigation
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Variety of student assessment criteria
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Several projects on using codes and writing/presenting reports
based on their numerical experiments
Data used as model input and for model result comparison
Many oral presentations and written reports
Peer grading of the oral presentations
In-class discussion participation
Class content is a mixture of modeling nuts-and-bolts,
code usage and visualization, and research techniques
Students learn about the guts of numerical models used
for space physics
Liemohn @ SWMF Users Meeting
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Models Covered This Year
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MHD Models
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Inner Mag Models
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General discussion of test particle and hybrid modeling
Empirical Models
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GITM, SAMI, CTIP, TIEGCM
Kinetic Codes
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HEIDI, RCM, RAM-SCB, CRCM/RBE/CIMI, VERB, DGCPM,
IMPTAM, STET
Ionosphere-Thermosphere Codes
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Started with a general discussion of MHD equations, MHD
extensions, and typical CFD techniques
BATS-R-US, LFM, OpenGGCM, Winglee code, ENLIL
Weimer codes, Tsyganenko family, IRI, MSIS, WINDMI,
formulaic models for magnetopause, CPCP, Dst
Coupled code suites
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SWMF, CISM, other examples from coupled codes at CCMC
Liemohn @ SWMF Users Meeting
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CCMC and VMR: Great Education Sites!
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CCMC has a lot of run results available for perusal
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VMR: excellent geospace data-model comparison site
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Visualization options are straightforward and easy to learn
Hundreds Thousands of SWMF runs (or with codes therein)
At first: assign them a specific task
Later on: give them a question to explore
I like to do this via lots of in-class small group work
Lead students in same type of exploration as with the CCMC
CCMC's iSWA/SWE
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Explore the real-time (or recent past) Sun-to-Earth space
weather connection with a create-it-yourself analysis page
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Many of the cygnets are linked to SWMF model output
Liemohn @ SWMF Users Meeting
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Future Vision of SWMF Education
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Do more with more!
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I'm the new AOSS "Development Committee" chair
We're planning several student-focused initiatives to be
supported with gift funds
One of them: Michigan Space Environment Center
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Consolidate our space weather and engineering student programs
Provide support for undergrad, M-Eng, and PhD students
Provide support for space weather/engineering projects, including
SWMF nowcasting/forecasting experiences
Please help us out!
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The link: http://aoss.engin.umich.edu/pages/aoss/giving
Liemohn @ SWMF Users Meeting
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Switch hats: SWMF and Publishing
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Two quick points I'd like to cover
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Methodology section of your paper
AGU's Data Policy and numerical modeling studies
My main point:
Reproducibility is a key factor for
scientific publication
Liemohn @ SWMF Users Meeting
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Methodology Sections
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Good to write out the whole equation set and code
implementation description every few years
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Enough so that others can reproduce your model
Verify your model periodically
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In between these big write-ups
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Show the reader the model is grid converged and mass/energy
conserving
Just cite the paper with the full description
Only describe in detail what is new, different, or most critical to
understanding the study
Remember: do not cut-paste from previous papers
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Most journals run a similarity report on new manuscripts
For me: several full paragraphs of overlap warrants rejection
without review
Liemohn @ SWMF Users Meeting
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Data Availability
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The world is moving towards "open data"
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For AGU (specifically JGR Space Physics):
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This includes "numerical data" from codes like the SWMF
Code output used in the paper must be available
Available = electronic supplement, U-M Deep Blue repository,
personal/group website, or "upon request"
AGU Policy and code
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Code itself should also be made available, but we are not
enforcing this
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Code must be fully described and verified in a published paper
Highly commend the SWMF team for allowing free download of
the full code suite and run-on-request usage at CCMC
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The pinnacle of current "code availability" practice in space physics
To everyone out there: please follow the SWMF Rules of the Road
Liemohn @ SWMF Users Meeting
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