Magnetic field draping at the low-latitude magnetopause

Journal Article · Sun Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1991 · Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/91JA01267· OSTI ID:5152132

Richard, R L; Lotko, W ^[1]

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1. Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH (United States)

The structure of the low-latitude magnetopause is investigated for interplanetary magnetic field conditions with a dominant southward component using magnetohydrodynamic simulations. The structure is self-consistently calculated as an initial-value problem in which the system is allowed to evolve to a quasi steady state. All components of the three-dimensional velocity and magnetic field as well as compressibility, resistivity, and viscosity are included in the two-dimensional calculation. The boundary conditions sustain inflow from the magnetosheath and the magnetosphere, as well as a flow tangential to the magnetopause, sunward in the magnetosphere and tailward in the magnetosheath. The tangential flow leads to the draping of magnetic field lines in the magnetopause region. No draping (tailward or sunward) was included initially, while as the system evolved this component of the magnetic field became comparable in magnitude to the other two components. The resulting draping structure is found to be dependent sensitively on the ratio of the viscous and magnetic diffusivities.

• OSTI ID: 5152132
• Journal Information: Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States), Journal Name: Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States) Vol. 96:A9; ISSN 0148-0227; ISSN JGREA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640201* -- Atmospheric Physics-- Auroral
Ionospheric
& Magetospheric Phenomena
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
BOUNDARY LAYERS
FLUID MECHANICS
HYDRODYNAMICS
INTERPLANETARY MAGNETIC FIELDS
LAYERS
MAGNETIC FIELD CONFIGURATIONS
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICS
MAGNETOPAUSE
MECHANICS
MORPHOLOGY
SELF-CONSISTENT FIELD