Three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic simulations of processes at the earth's magnetopause

Abstract

Abstract Numerical simulation plays a key role in modeling and understanding highly nonlinear two- and three-dimensional plasma processes. A typical process of this type is represented by magnetic reconnection At the Earth's magnetopause magnetic reconnection is believed to be the cause of magnetic flux transfer events or structures which are interpreted in terms of rotational discontinuities. For both observations a clear correlation to a southward interplanetary magnetic field (i.e. large magnetic shear across the magnetopause) is a typical property. From theory and computer simulation it is known that a large magnetic shear is also a requirement for magnetic reconnection. In terms of MHD simulations two major approaches may be distinguished. One of these approaches considers the interaction of the total (dayside) magnetospheric system with the solar wind plasma. These simulations may provide qualitative insight into how the three-dimensional structure of the dayside magnetosphere controls dynamical pro...