Physics
Scientific paper
Dec 2001
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2001agufmsm41b0784s&link_type=abstract
American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2001, abstract #SM41B-0784
Physics
2134 Interplanetary Magnetic Fields, 2708 Current Systems (2409), 2728 Magnetosheath, 2784 Solar Wind/Magnetosphere Interactions, 3210 Modeling
Scientific paper
This work, based loosely on the draping of magnetic field lines around a conducting sphere or cylinder, provides an analytical construction of the magnetosheath's B field for arbitrary IMF direction. The basic procedure is to create a generic expression for the equation of a field line when the IMF is either parallel or perpendicular to the solar-wind velocity. This procedure is easily visualized for the case of a hemispherically capped cylindrical magnetopause, except that the "cap" (which extends ~ 10 RE upstream and ~ 60 RE downstream from Earth) is better represented as half of a prolate ellipsoid [e.g., Sibeck et al., JGR, 96, 5489-5495, 1991]. The corresponding equation of a magnetosheath field line, most conveniently expressed in ellipsoidal coordinates, is replaced upstream from the bow shock by the equation of a straight line parallel to the IMF, which is regarded as locally uniform until it reaches the bow shock. Since the (easily constructed) Euler potentials (essentially a flux variable α and an azimuth β ) that label IMF lines must be continuous across the bow shock, they serve also to label field lines in the magnetosheath, whereupon the magnetosheath's B field is likewise given by gradα x gradβ . This is for IMF either parallel or perpendicular to the solar-wind velocity. Results for B with arbitrary IMF direction are obtained by weighted superposition of results for B in the two limiting cases. This model for B is not current-free, but neither is the real magnetosheath. This model for B is also not unique, being dependent on a physics-based but ultimately "created" expression for the equation of a generic field line. However, the model seems flexible enough to provide a realistic representation of the magnetosheath's B field upon suitable adjustment of the model's parameters. This presentation will feature results for IMF transverse (perpendicular) to the solar-wind velocity. Results for IMF parallel to the solar-wind velocity were shown at the 2001 Spring AGU meeting in Boston.
No associations
LandOfFree
Field-Line Model of the Magnetosheath for Transverse IMF 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 Field-Line Model of the Magnetosheath for Transverse IMF, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Field-Line Model of the Magnetosheath for Transverse IMF will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1384566