Magnetohydrodynamic Simulation of Interaction Between the Solar Wind and Magnetosphere

Figures

• Fig.1 Solar-magnetospheric coordinate system used in the computer simulation.
  
• Fig.2 Regions of the magnetic reconnection as a function of the IMF orientation.
  
• Fig.3 three dimensional structure of magnetic field lines in the earth's magnetosphere under steady state conditions for two different IMF orientations, theta=60 degrees and theta=240 degrees.
  
• Fig.4 Variation of the magnetic reconnection regions when the IMF rotates counterclockwise as viewed from the sun with a period of 6 hours.
  
• Fig.5 Snapshot of the earth's magnetosphere for theta=240 degrees when the IMF rotates counterclockwise as viewed from the sun with a period of 8 hours. A plasmoid is being ejected from the magnetotail.
  
• Fig.6 Three dimensional structure of magnetic field lines of the earth's magnetosphere for two different IMF orientations, theta=60 degrees and theta=240 degrees, when the IMF rotates with a period of 8 hours.
  
• Fig.7 Variation of the plasma pressure distribution in the cross section of distant magnetotail when the IMF rotates with a period of 6 hours. The cross sectional pattern of the magnetotail is deformed and the plasma sheet is inclined.
  
• Fig.8 Temporal variation of magnetic field lines obtained by a high spatial resolution MHD simulation when the IMF flips from northward to southward at t=300 min.
  
• Fig.9 Structure of the earth's magnetosphere at time steps near the onset time of tail reconnection (t=342min) and near the time of expansion onset (t=350min) obtained by using a high spatial resolution MHD simulation.
  
• Fig.10 Structure of the earth's magnetosphere 60 minutes after the IMF flips from northward to southward. Tail reconnection continues to occur intermittently and in a patchy manner after ejection of the first plasmoid.
  
• Fig.11 Three dimensional structure of the earth's magnetosphere visualized using VRML (Virtual Reality Modeling Language) for the same time step shown in Fig. 10. Streamer structures appear in plasma sheet due to patchy and intermittent reconnection.
  

Animation 1: QuickTime movie format for the steady earth's magnetosphere when the IMF orientation rotates.

• 1-1. Polar plots for convection and electric potential
  
• 1-2. Three dimensional structure of magnetic field lines
  
• 1-3. Three dimensional structure of field lines from the sun
  
• 1-4. Cross sectional pattern of plasma density and energy
  
• 1-5. Reconnection region for minimum magnetic field
  

  Animation 2: QuickTime movie format for the transient earth's magnetosphere when the IMF rotates.

  counterclockwise in view from the sun with 8 hours period.
  • 2-1. Polar plots for convection and electric potential
    
  • 2-2. Three dimensional structure of magnetic field lines
    
  • 2-3. Three dimensional structure of field lines from the sun
    
  • 2-4. Cross sectional pattern of plasma density and energy
    
  • 2-5. Reconnection region for minimum magnetic field
    

  Animation 3: QuickTime movie format and Gif movie format for response of the earth's magnetosphere to solar wind and reverse of the IMF obtained by high spatial resolution simulation.

  • 3-1. Response of magnetosphere to solar wind t=180-300 min (QuickTime movie format)
    
  • 3-2. Response of magnetosphere to the IMF t=300-420 min (QuickTime movie format)
    
  • 3-3. Three dimensional structure of magnetic field lines t=300-400 min (Gif movie format)
    
  • 3-4. Projection of 3-dimensional magnetic field line t=300-400 min (Gif movie format)
    
  • 3-5. Polar plots for convection and electric potential t=300-400 min (Gif movie format)
    

  ---

  Figures of earth's magnetosphere by using VRML

  small volume figures at t=302( 2) min , t=342(42) min , t=350(50) min , t=360(60) min
  large volume figures at t=302( 2) min , t=342(42) min , t=350(50) min , t=360(60) min
  
  

  VRML (Virtual Reality Modeling Language)

  Three dimensional visualization, VRML (Virtual Reality Modeling Language) of response of the earth's magnetosphere obtained by high spatial resolution MHD simulation.

  VRML1.1-1.4 is small volume for -20Re < x < 10Re, 0 < y,z < 10Re.

  • 1-1. t=302( 2) min Magnetosphere just after southward turning
    
  • 1-2. t=342(42) min Onset time of tail reconnection
    
  • 1-3. t=350(50) min Expansion time of tail reconnection
    
  • 1-4. t=360(60) min Patchy and intermittent reconnection
    

  VRML2.1-2.4 is large volume for -48Re < x < 12Re, 0 < y,z < 15Re.

  • 2-1. t=302( 2) min Magnetosphere just after southward turning
    
  • 2-2. t=342(42) min Onset time of tail reconnection
    
  • 2-3. t=350(50) min Expansion time of tail reconnection
    
  • 2-4. t=360(60) min Patchy and intermittent reconnection
    

  ---

  References

[1] T. Ogino, R.J. Walker and M. Ashour-Abdalla, IEEE Trans. on Plasma Sci. 20, 817 (1992).
[2] T. Ogino, R.J. Walker and M. Ashour-Abdalla, J. Geophys. Res. 99, 11,027 (1994).
[3] R.J. Walker and T. Ogino, J. Geomag. Geoelectr., 48, 765 (1996).
[4] A. Nishida and T. Ogino, AGU Mono. 105, 61 (1998).
[5] T. Ogino and R.J. Walker, Proc. of Int. Conf. on Substorms-4, (ICS-4), Hamanako, Japan, 527 (1998).


---

Simulation Home Page.

---

GEDAS Home Page

---

Computer Simulation Home Page is maintained by Ohta and Ogino.

---

STELab Home Page.