A magnetospheric magnetic field model with flexible current systems driven by independent physical parameters

Abstract

A tilt‐dependent magnetic field model of the Earth's magnetosphere with variable magnetopause standoff distance is presented. Flexible analytic representations for the ring and cross‐tail currents, each composed of elements derived from the Tsyganenko and Usmanov (1982) model, are combined with the fully shielded vacuum dipole configurations of Voigt (1981). The ring current, consisting of axially symmetric eastward and westward currents fixed about the dipole axis, resembles that inferred from magnetic field observations yet permits easy control of inner magnetospheric inflation. The cross‐tail current contains a series of linked current sheet segments which allow for the tilt‐dependent flexing of the current sheet in the x‐z plane and arbitrary variations in current sheet position and intensity along the length of the magnetotail. Although the current sheet does not warp in the y‐z plane, changes in the shape and position of the neutral sheet with dipole tilt are consistent with both MHD equilibrium theory and observations. In addition, there is good agreement with observed ΔB profiles and the average equatorial contours of magnetic field magnitude. While the dipole field is rigorously shielded within the defined magnetopause, the ring and cross‐tail currents are not similarly confined, consequently, the model's region of validity is limited to the inner magnetosphere. The model depends on four independent external parameters, namely, (1) the dipole tilt angle, (2) the magnetopause standoff distance, (3) the midnight equatorward boundary of the diffuse aurora, and (4) the geomagnetic index Dst. In addition, we present a simple but limited method of simulating several substorm related magnetic field changes associated with the disruption of the near‐Earth cross‐tail current sheet and collapse of the midnight magnetotail field region. These include the classic dipolarization of the near‐Earth field and the reduction of the far‐tail equatorial field accompanying current sheet thinning. This feature further facilitates the generation of magnetic field configuration time sequences useful in plasma convection simulations of real magnetospheric events.