Global MHD Modeling of the Impact of a Solar Wind Pressure Change at the CCMC

Kristi Keller
NASA/GSFC

A sudden increase in the solar wind dynamic pressure compresses the magnetosphere and launches compressional waves into the magnetosphere. Sudden changes in the solar wind dynamic pressure also trigger longer period ground pulsations. Using BATS-R-US, a global 3D adaptive MHD model developed at the University of Michigan, we will simulate a sudden increase in the solar wind dynamic pressure by using a density pulse. We will study the response of the magnetosphere to the density pulse. We will also study the generation of field-aligned currents and the response of the ionosphere.