On Wednesday, May 3, LASP space physics research scientist Allison Jaynes will present early results from the NASA Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) Mission and the key role LASP (Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics) plays in the mission.
MMS launched in March 2015, placing four identical spacecraft into orbit around Earth to study a little-understood phenomenon called magnetic reconnection.
Who: Open to the public
What: NASA’s MMS Mission: Revolutionizing Our Understanding of Magnetic Reconnection
When: Wednesday, May 3, 7:30 p.m.
Where: East Campus, LASP Space Technology Building, room 299
Magnetic reconnection is a fundamental process of nature that happens in charged particles all across our universe. Reconnection occurs when magnetic field lines meet and reconnect in a different configuration, releasing a gigantic burst of energy in the process.
Reconnection on the Sun-ward side of Earth contributes to plasma entry into Earth’s magnetosphere, while reconnection on the night-side triggers the burst of particles that results in auroral displays.
MMS is currently the only mission dedicated to the study of this phenomenon. Researchers are committed to answering questions surrounding the process of reconnection—questions fundamental to the nature of our universe—from the distant stars to nuclear fusion technology here on Earth.
Join Jaynes to learn how studying our near-Earth environment with missions like MMS makes use of a unique, nearby laboratory to understand the physics of magnetic fields across the universe.
The presentation will start at 7:30 p.m. at the LASP Space Technology Building (LSTB), located at 1234 Innovation Dr. on the CU Boulder East Campus Research Park. Doors open at 7 p.m.