A simulation study of forced reconnection processes and magnetospheric storms and substorms

Abstract

We simulate, on the basis of a two‐dimensional incompressible MHD code, the plasma dynamics of a long magnetotail (∼200 RE) under a constant and time‐varying driving force delivered from the solar wind. It is found that under a constant driving force the magnetic fields in the magnetotail tend to reconnect impulsively and the formation of X line and plasmoids occurs intermittently and repeatedly every 2–4 hours. Under a time‐varying driving force the post‐driven phase of a plasmoid formation and the spontaneous reconnection process are also studied. Our results show that magnetic reconnection in the magnetotail during magnetospheric substorms and storms is basically a driven process. A complete sequence of the event, going from the gradual pile‐up of magnetic flux to the formation and the antiearthward convection of the new X line and to the ejection of plasmoids from the antiearthward end of the magnetotail, requires the presence of the driving force. The simulation results may also be useful in unifying the different interpretations (1) of the plasmoid formation and plasma sheet thinning and (2) of the relative importance of magnetotail processes with respect to the direct solar wind effects during substorms.