Imaging the effect of dipole tilt on magnetotail boundaries

Journal Article · Fri Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1994 · Journal of Geophysical Research

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/93JA01924· OSTI ID:121259

Hammond, C M; Kivelson, M G; Walker, R J ^[1]

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1. Univ. of California, Los Angeles, CA (United States)

Eight years of IMP 8, four years of ISEE 2, and one year of IMP 7 magnetometer data have been combined to produce an {open_quotes}image{close_quotes} of the average magnetic field for a YZ cross section (aberrated GSM) of the magnetotail at a downtail distance of 25 R{sub E}. The shape of the neutral sheet and magnetopause boundaries can be observed directly from the images. A fitting function that qualitatively matches the observed boundary shape can then be chosen. This approach improves on previous fits to possible unsuitable functional forms specified independently of the data. In addition, as a refinement of previous studies, the authors have corrected for varying solar wind dynamic pressure and the effects of tail flaring. They find the magnetopause is displaced above the XY plane with increasing dipole tilt. The neutral sheet is found to curve slightly more than the model of Fairfield during times of large dipole tilt and near the flanks appears to differ substantially from the neutral sheet shape given by the analytic model of Voigt, the more recent neutral sheet model of Dandouras based on the Voigt model, and the semi-empirical model of Tsyganenko. 25 refs., 15 refs., 2 tabs.

• OSTI ID: 121259
• Journal Information: Journal of Geophysical Research, Journal Name: Journal of Geophysical Research Journal Issue: A4 Vol. 99; ISSN JGREA2; ISSN 0148-0227
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

66 PHYSICS
IMAGES
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAGNETOPAUSE
MAGNETOTAIL
PLASMA SHEET
REMOTE SENSING
SATELLITES