An MHD simulation of the interaction of the solar wind with the outflowing plasma from a comet

Abstract

The interaction between the solar wind and the outflowing plasmas from a comet has been studied by using a two‐dimensional time‐dependent magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulation. The model reproduced several features of the comet‐solar wind interaction predicted by earlier theories and observed on the recent cometary probes. These include the formation of the contact surface and the cometary magnetotail. For a constant interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) the cometary plasma captures field lines which drape over the comet to form an antiparallel magnetic field configuration in the tail and a thin plasma sheet. Eventually, tail magnetic reconnection begins to occur at several points. When the IMF orientation is reversed dayside magnetic reconnection occurs at the subsolar point and a large disturbance propagates down the tail.