Modeling Ionospheric Outflow During a Geomagnetic Storm

Ionosheric outflow can be a significant contributor to the plasma population of the magnetosphere during active geomagnetic conditions. Most Magnetosphere-Ionosphere Coupling (MIC) models do not include this outflow in a physical manner; instead they rely on pressure gradient terms to draw plasma off the inner boundary of the magnetosphere. We present preliminary results of new efforts to model the source and effects of out-flowing plasma in the Space Weather Modeling Framework (SWMF). In particular, we use the Polar Wind Outflow Model (PWOM), a field-aligned multi-fluid polar wind code, coupled to the Ionosphere Electrodynamics (IE), and Global Magnetosphere (GM) components of the SWMF. We present our methodology for the MIC, as well as the evolution of the outflow during a geomagnetic storm.