A global model of gyroviscous field line merging at the magnetopause

Journal Article · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1991 · Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/90JA02194· OSTI ID:5258771

Stasiewicz, K ^[1]

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1. Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Uppsala (Sweden)

A gyroviscous model of the magnetopause current layer is applied to the entire magnetopause with the inner boundary condition provided by a quantitative model of the magnetospheric field (B{sub M}) and the outer boundary condition given by the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) draped against the magnetopause surface. It is found that the magnetopause surface is divided into at least four different regions by a tangential singularity line (B{sub N} = O) that separates regions with different signs of the normal component and rotation singularity lines (B{sub M} {parallel} B{sub IMF}) that separate regions with different magnetic polarizations (rotations). The tangential singularity line (TSL) has topological properties similar to the classical reconnection line and the rotation singularity lines (RSL) are simular to lines of antiparallel merging. The field topology in the regular regions is determined by field line tracing using the model solutions. It is argued that the whole magnetopause surface, except the singular separation regions, possesses a stable rotational structure that can be described locally by a planar model. It is proposed that the singular regions on the magnetopause surface (TSL and RSL) play the role of gates for solar wind plasma entry into the magnetosphere and that rotational singularities are observed as flux transfer events. Observations of velocity jumps at the magnetopause that were previously classified as high-speed reconnection flows, tangential discontinuity crossings as well as diffusive entry crossings can all be explained as special cases of the gyroviscous merging theory. The paper offers a unified view of such disparate concepts as steady state reconnection, antiparallel merging, viscous interactions, patchy reconnection, flux transfer events, and impulsive penetration.

• OSTI ID: 5258771
• Journal Information: Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States), Journal Name: Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States) Vol. 96:A1; 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 CONDITIONS
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
EARTH MAGNETOSPHERE
ENERGY TRANSFER
GEOMAGNETIC FIELD
INTERACTIONS
INTERPLANETARY MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAGNETIC FLUX
MAGNETIC RECONNECTION
MAGNETOPAUSE
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MATHEMATICS
SOLAR ACTIVITY
SOLAR WIND
STEADY-STATE CONDITIONS
TOPOLOGY