Global plasmasphere evolution 22-23 April 2001

Physics

Scientific paper

Rate now

  [ 0.00 ] – not rated yet Voters 0   Comments 0

Details

19

Magnetospheric Physics: Magnetosphere: Inner, Magnetospheric Physics: Plasmasphere, Magnetospheric Physics: Plasma Convection (2463), Magnetospheric Physics: Electric Fields (2411), Magnetospheric Physics: Numerical Modeling

Scientific paper

The evolution of the plasmasphere during the moderate 22-23 April 2001 storm is studied by comparing observed plasmasphere behavior to the predictions of a simulation. The plasmasphere observations include global images from IMAGE EUV and density and flow measurements from LANL MPA. The subjective uncertainty in the EUV plasmapause was found to be 0.2L. Inward plasmapause motion was correlated with southward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF), with a 27 min delay. The electric (E) field at the plasmapause was approximately 13% of the solar wind E-field. The observations support the idea that plasmaspheric erosion begins with a partial plasmapause indentation which then gradually widens in magnetic local time (MLT) to encompass the entire nightside. In situ measurements confirm a dayside plume of sunward flowing plasma, and images show that the plume subsequently experienced phases of MLT narrowing and rotation/wrapping. To simulate the event, we employed a test particle representation of the plasmapause using a parametric E-field model that includes corotation and convection from two sources: dayside magnetopause reconnection (DMR) and the subauroral polarization stream (SAPS). The model captures the phases of plume evolution, and it reproduces the observed plasmapause with maximum (mean) error <0.7L (0.24L). The model fails to reproduce important subglobal features (e.g., a predawn plasmaspheric shoulder) and grossly misplaces the inner edge of the rotating and wrapping plume. SAPS contributes significantly to the duskside flows, but the simulated flows are about 50% smaller than those seen by LANL MPA. The simulated plasmapause E-field is about 70% of the EUV-inferred value.

No associations

LandOfFree

Say what you really think

Search LandOfFree.com for scientists and scientific papers. Rate them and share your experience with other people.

Rating

Global plasmasphere evolution 22-23 April 2001 does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with Global plasmasphere evolution 22-23 April 2001, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Global plasmasphere evolution 22-23 April 2001 will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

     

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1436404

  Search
All data on this website is collected from public sources. Our data reflects the most accurate information available at the time of publication.