Understanding near-Earth magnetotail tailward flows using MHD simulation
Abstract
Even though the Dungey cycle suggests that only earthward flows are expected in the magnetotail earthward of the near-earth reconnection site, t ailward flows, perpendicular to the magnetic field are often recorded by spacecraft. One case of such flows are the tailward flows observed just before or after a high-speed earthward flow. There is however no consensus on the mechanism generating such tailward flows. Is it that the fast flow channel is Kelvin-Helmoltz unstable? Or is it that the tailward flows are vortices at the flanks of the fast flow? We investigate the structure and the formation of the tailward flows associated with fast earthward flows using high-resolution MHD simulation of the magnetosphere.
- Publication:
-
AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2019
- Bibcode:
- 2019AGUFMSM13D3336D
- Keywords:
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- 2431 Ionosphere/magnetosphere interactions;
- IONOSPHERE;
- 2740 Magnetospheric configuration and dynamics;
- MAGNETOSPHERIC PHYSICS;
- 2756 Planetary magnetospheres;
- MAGNETOSPHERIC PHYSICS;
- 7524 Magnetic fields;
- SOLAR PHYSICS;
- ASTROPHYSICS;
- AND ASTRONOMY