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Comparative study of a substorm event by satellite observation and model simulation

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  • Geophysics
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Chinese Science Bulletin

Abstract

A substorm event has been simulated for the first time by using SWMF (Space Weather Modeling Framework) developed by the University of Michigan. The model results have been validated using Geotail and Cluster satellite observations. The substorm onset occurs at 22:08 UT on September 28 2004, as identified from FUV WIC observations on the NASA IMAGE spacecraft. SWMF can couple effectively the magnetosphere, inner magnetosphere and ionosphere processes and is driven by the solar wind and IMF (Interplanetary Magnetic Field) parameters, which are measured by ACE satellite and time delayed to the upstream boundary of the model. It shows that (1) SWMF can predict well the large-scale variations of the magnetospheric magnetic field and ionospheric currents during the substorm event; and (2) the accuracy of the time delay of the solar wind from ACE to the outer boundary of the model has great effects on the model results. Finally, the substorm trigger mechanism has been discussed and the way of improvement of the model has been pointed out.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Ionosphere and Magnetosphere, LOGEG, CNME, College of Electronic Information, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430079, China

    Hui Wang & ShuYing Ma

  2. State Key Laboratory of Space Weather, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100080, China

    Hui Wang

  3. Department of Atmoshperic, Oceanic and Space Science, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48105, USA

    Hui Wang & A. J. Ridley

Authors
  1. Hui Wang
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  2. ShuYing Ma
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  3. A. J. Ridley
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to ShuYing Ma.

Additional information

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 40604017) and the Open Project Foundation of the State Key Laboratory of Space Weather of Chinese Academy of Sciences.

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Wang, H., Ma, S. & Ridley, A.J. Comparative study of a substorm event by satellite observation and model simulation. Chin. Sci. Bull. 55, 857–864 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11434-009-0282-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11434-009-0282-4

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