Reconnection voltage as a function of IMF clock angle

Journal Article · Sat Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1991 · Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/90GL02722· OSTI ID:5313219

Fedder, J A; Mobarry, C M ^[1]; Lyon, J G ^[2]

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1. Naval Research Lab., Washington, DC (USA)
2. Univ. of Iowa, Iowa City (USA)

Magnetic reconnection between the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) and the geomagnetic field is thought to play a major role in the transfer of solar wind momentum and energy to the magnetosphere. Both analytic modeling and analysis of geophysical data have shown that this coupling process should be a sensitive function of the clock angle of the IMF. In this letter the authors present results from a 3-dimensional, magnetohydrodynamic (MHD), global numerical simulation code for the reconnection voltage between the closed geomagnetic field and the IMF as a function of the IMF clock angle. These results are consistent with a sin({theta}/2) functional behavior.

• OSTI ID: 5313219
• Journal Information: Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (United States), Journal Name: Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (United States) Vol. 18:6; ISSN 0094-8276; ISSN GPRLA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640201* -- Atmospheric Physics-- Auroral
Ionospheric
& Magetospheric Phenomena
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
DATA ANALYSIS
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
EARTH MAGNETOSPHERE
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
ENERGY TRANSFER
FLUID MECHANICS
GEOMAGNETIC FIELD
HYDRODYNAMICS
INTERACTIONS
INTERPLANETARY MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAGNETIC RECONNECTION
MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MECHANICS
MOMENTUM TRANSFER
SIMULATION
SOLAR ACTIVITY
SOLAR WIND
THREE-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS