Abstract
Abstract. Different magnetopause models with a diverse level of complexity are in use. One thing that they have in common is that they are mainly based on near-earth observations; i.e. they use measurements at distances of about ±10 Earth radii along the GSM x axis. Only very few observations of magnetopause crossings at larger distances are used for model fitting. In this study we compare position and normal direction predictions of the Shue et al. (1997) magnetopause model with actual observations of magnetopause crossings identified using the ARTEMIS spacecraft at lunar distance, about 60 Earth radii. We find differences in the location prediction between model and actual observation but good agreement in predictions about the magnetopause normal direction.
Highlights
The magnetopause plays an important role for space weather processes as it is the primary interaction zone between the solar wind (SW) plasma and the Earth’s magnetosphere
We find differences in the location prediction between model and actual observation but good agreement in predictions about the magnetopause normal direction
The plasma data are complemented by measurements from the ARTEMIS fluxgate magnetometer (FGM) (Auster et al, 2008), providing vector magnetic field data which we average over the spin period of about 3 s
Summary
The magnetopause plays an important role for space weather processes as it is the primary interaction zone between the solar wind (SW) plasma and the Earth’s magnetosphere. Shue et al (1997) modelled the MP location to be only dependent on the Bz component of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) and the SW dynamic pressure Dp. Here r0, θ , and α denote the standoff distance, the angle between the Sun–Earth line and the direction of r, and the magnetopause flaring parameter, respectively (Fig. 3). Shue et al (1997) modelled the MP location to be only dependent on the Bz component of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) and the SW dynamic pressure Dp This functional model is mathematically axially symmetric around the x axis in solar-wind-aberration-corrected geocentric solar ecliptic (GSE) and geocentric solar magnetospheric (GSM) coordinates (Hapgood, 1992). By using plasma and magnetic field measurements from the ARTEMIS mission we validate the Shue model at radial distances of about 60 RE downtail
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