Implications of the Stagnation Line Model for energy input through the dayside magnetopause

Abstract

Based on the formation of a stagnation line at the magnetopause the electromagnetic energy transport from the solar wind into the dayside magnetosphere is analyzed. The resulting energy flux is proportional to v∞B∞² sin² (θ∞ ‐ ϕ∞), where v∞ and B∞ are the solar wind speed and magnetic field and θ∞ ‐ ϕ∞ is the angle between the IMF and the stagnation line projected into the interplanetary space. A stagnation line parallel to the separator gives approximately the sin4(θ∞/2) energy flux dependence of Akasofu's ε‐index.