Physics
Scientific paper
Dec 2011
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2011agufmsm23a2029t&link_type=abstract
American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2011, abstract #SM23A-2029
Physics
[2728] Magnetospheric Physics / Magnetosheath
Scientific paper
The position and shape of the Earth's magnetopause and bow shock have been studied since the 1950s, mostly in a region within 20 Earth-radii (RE) of the planet, or in the distant tail region (about 200 RE downstream of the Earth). We use in situ data from the Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) collected at distances between 15 and 55 RE, and at nearly all local times. This data set is unique in that the structure of the magnetopause and bow shock has not been extensively studied between 35 and 55 RE. Therefore, we have used this new data set to consider how well the leading published models match the shape of these boundaries in this unexplored region. The two-and-a-half year collection period, from the beginning of 2009 through mid-2011, also marked a period when the solar wind was remarkably quiet, as the Sun is now just exiting a very deep and prolonged solar minimum. Thus our data set is optimal for comparison to steady-state model predictions. Owing to the unique way in which IBEX collects data, we have implemented an original method for sifting out the magnetosheath signal. In addition, because IBEX is not equipped with a magnetometer or plasma analyzers, we have complemented our magnetosheath data with data from the OMNI 2 collection of solar wind measurements in order to adjust boundary locations to account for changes in the solar wind dynamic pressure and interplanetary magnetic field. We find that the IBEX data set correlates very well with the data from the OMNI 2 collection. As expected, the older models for the magnetopause and bow shock (an ellipse and parabola, respectively) do not fit the data in the 15 to 55 RE region as well as the models presented by Shue et al., 1997, and Chao et al., 2002, though the difference between the bow shock models are miniscule in this region compared to the difference between the magnetopause models.
Janzen P. H.
Petrinec Steven M.
Reisenfeld Daniel Brett
Tanberg S. J.
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