Response of Saturn's Current Sheet Structure to Changes in the Solar Wind Dynamic Pressure and IMF

Details Response of Saturn's Current Sheet Structure to Changes in the Solar Wind Dynamic Pressure and IMF Response of Saturn's Current Sheet Structure to Changes in the Solar Wind Dynamic Pressure and IMF

Dec 2010

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2010agufmsm23a1934h&link_type=abstract

American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2010, abstract #SM23A-1934

Physics

[2740] Magnetospheric Physics / Magnetospheric Configuration And Dynamics, [2756] Magnetospheric Physics / Planetary Magnetospheres, [2784] Magnetospheric Physics / Solar Wind/Magnetosphere Interactions, [5737] Planetary Sciences: Fluid Planets / Magnetospheres

Scientific paper

Using our global MHD model of Saturn’s magnetosphere, we investigate the location, shape and motion of Saturn’s current sheet under a variety of situations. Our global MHD model self consistently treats the entire magnetosphere and includes magnetospheric plasma sources from a major disk-like source from Enceladus and the rings and a secondary toroidal plasma source from Titan. The model produces solutions which are not constrained to be symmetric therefore the results are quite useful in trying to extend previous models that have been generated using Cassini data. Because we can carefully control the inputs to our MHD model, we do not have to worry about separating variations due to local time, varying upstream conditions, spacecraft motion or changes in the mass loading rate that often make interpreting the data complicated. We will present results for both steady state, as well as time varying solar wind conditions. Simulations with constant solar wind conditions allow us to study the effect that upsteam dynamic pressure has on both the shape and size of the current sheet. In addition, we will present results from simulations that include sudden changes in the solar wind dynamics pressure as well as the IMF direction. These simulations will allow us to study the current sheet response and to look for features such as current sheet flapping. Our previous studies have shown that the current sheet in our model does in fact reproduce the “bowl-like” behavior expect at most local times. However, at dusk, the current sheet is often quite warped. We will examine the cause of this warping and under what conditions it occurs.

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