Exploring the Effects of Ionospheric Outflow on the Inner Magnetosphere using RAM-SCB
Abstract
The Ring current Atmosphere interactions Model with Self-Consistently calculated 3D Mag-netic field (RAM-SCB) has been used to successfully study inner magnetosphere dynamics during different solar wind and magnetosphere conditions. Historically, this numerical model has relied on empirical formulations to provide magnetic field boundary conditions, ionospheric electric potential, and to specify heavy ion composition at the outer boundary. Either empirical models or observations typically specify plasma density and temperature at the boundary. Re-cently, RAM-SCB has been integrated into the Space Weather Modeling Framework, a flexible system that creates real time, two-way coupling between RAM-SCB, the multi-species version of BATS-R-US global MHD and the Polar Wind Outflow Model. Through these couplings, RAM-SCB receives first-principle derived magnetic and plasma boundary conditions as well as convective electric potentials from the SWMF and returns inner magnetosphere plasma pres-sure to correct the MHD solution. This work uses the newly coupled system to explore the relationship between ionospheric outflow and ring current plasma distribution and composition. Data-model comparisons of magnetic field and particle fluxes are used to investigate how well the coupled system represents real world conditions.
- Publication:
-
38th COSPAR Scientific Assembly
- Pub Date:
- 2010
- Bibcode:
- 2010cosp...38.2212W