A new 3-D spherical hybrid model for solar wind interaction studies

Abstract

[1] A 3-D spherical hybrid model has been developed to study how the solar wind interacts with various solar system bodies. The main advantages of the new spherical model, called the HYB-s, compared with traditional Cartesian models are that the spherical model allows significantly reduced radial cell size and, consequently, a smaller total number of cells and particles in the simulation. The high radial resolution makes it possible to use the new model for 3-D physical studies that have not been feasible before. Especially, the spherical model allows the inclusion of self-consistent ionospheric photochemistry in global hybrid simulations of the solar wind interaction with terrestrial planets Venus and Mars. In this paper we describe the main aspects of the developed spherical hybrid model. We also study the solar wind interaction with Venus in a global hybrid simulation using the spherical hybrid model and our already published Cartesian hybrid model. The comparison between the two models suggests the high potential of the developed spherical hybrid model in studies of planetary plasma interactions.