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Simulation Studies of High-Latitude Magnetospheric Boundary Dynamics

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Abstract

Magnetic reconnection at the high-latitude magnetopause is studied using 2–1/2-dimensional (2−1/2-D) Hall-MHD simulation. Concentric flow vortices and magnetic islands appear when both Hall effect and sheared flow are considered. Plasma mixing across the magnetopause occurs in the presence of the flow vortices. Reconnected structure generated in the vicinity of the subsolar point changes its geometry with increasing flow shear while moving to high latitudes. In the presence of flow shear, with the Hall-MHD reconnection a higher reconnection rate than with the traditional MHD is obtained. The out-of-plane components of flow and magnetic field produced by the Hall current are redistributed under the action of the flow shear, which makes the plasma transport across the boundaries more complicated. The simulation results provide some help in understanding the dynamic processes at the high-latitude magnetopause.

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Abbreviations

GEM:

Geospace Environmental Modeling

GSE:

Geocentric Solar Ecliptic

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Earth and Space Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China

    Q. Q. Shi, Z. Y. Pu, H. Zhang, S. Y. Fu & C. J. Xiao

  2. Center for Space Physics, Boston University, 725 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA, 02215, USA

    Q. -G. Zong & T. A. Fritz

  3. Space Weather Laboratory, Center for Space Science and Application Research, Chinese Academy of Science, Mail Box 8701, Beijing, 100080, China

    Z. X. Liu

Authors
  1. Q. Q. Shi
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  2. Z. Y. Pu
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  3. H. Zhang
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  4. S. Y. Fu
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  5. C. J. Xiao
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  6. Q. -G. Zong
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  7. T. A. Fritz
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  8. Z. X. Liu
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Correspondence to Q. Q. Shi.

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Shi, Q.Q., Pu, Z.Y., Zhang, H. et al. Simulation Studies of High-Latitude Magnetospheric Boundary Dynamics. Surv Geophys 26, 369–386 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10712-005-1900-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10712-005-1900-6

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