Transition from global to local control of dayside reconnection from ionospheric‐sourced mass loading

Zhang, Binzheng; Brambles, O. J.; Cassak, P. A.; Ouellette, J.; Wiltberger, M. J.; Lotko, W.; Lyon, J. G.

doi:10.1002/2016ja023646

Cited by 24 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 63 publications

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“…In either case, it is possible to create simulations with a mesoscale and turbulent structure that a constant resistivity would not show. It is also worth noting that the local reconnection rate in these models is the same as fine-scaled Hall or PIC results, which is approximately 0.1* v in * B of the inflow region, as shown by many previous studies ( 34 , 55 , 56 ), suggesting that the code is simulating the large-scale configuration of the reconnection process, in terms of the rate of reconnection, reasonably well through the conservation of mass, momentum, and magnetic flux.…”

Section: Methodssupporting

confidence: 79%

“…This practically universal scaling indicates that the reconnection rate is not caused by changes in numerical dissipation and that the numerical resistivity is simulating large-scale aspects of reconnection appropriately ( 34 ). It has also been shown that the global rate of dayside reconnection in the magnetosphere is controlled by upstream conditions in the global simulation model rather than the grid resolution of the simulation ( 55 ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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How Jupiter’s unusual magnetospheric topology structures its aurora

et al. 2021

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Jupiter’s bright persistent polar aurora and Earth’s dark polar region indicate that the planets’ magnetospheric topologies are very different. High-resolution global simulations show that the reconnection rate at the interface between the interplanetary and jovian magnetic fields is too slow to generate a magnetically open, Earth-like polar cap on the time scale of planetary rotation, resulting in only a small crescent-shaped region of magnetic flux interconnected with the interplanetary magnetic field. Most of the jovian polar cap is threaded by helical magnetic flux that closes within the planetary interior, extends into the outer magnetosphere, and piles up near its dawnside flank where fast differential plasma rotation pulls the field lines sunward. This unusual magnetic topology provides new insights into Jupiter’s distinctive auroral morphology.

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Section: Methodssupporting

confidence: 79%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

How Jupiter’s unusual magnetospheric topology structures its aurora

et al. 2021

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“…The reconnection electric field is typically of the order of 0.1

v_{A} B_{i n}

, where

v_{A}

and

B_{i n}

are the Alfvén speed and magnetic field strength in the inflow region, respectively, indicating that Lyon‐Fedder‐Mobarry‐simulated reconnection is Petschek like (Ouellette et al, , ). Zhang et al (, ) have also shown that the rate of reconnection in the magnetosphere is controlled by the solar wind conditions and electrodynamic coupling through the ionosphere rather than the size of the computational cells.…”

Section: Simulation Informationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Is Nightside Outflow Required to Induce Magnetospheric Sawtooth Oscillations

Zhang

Brambles

Lotko

et al. 2020

Geophysical Research Letters

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Ionospheric outflow plays an important role in the mass coupling between the ionosphere and the coupled solar wind‐magnetosphere system. Previous modeling studies have shown that outflowing ionospheric ions may induce magnetospheric sawtooth oscillations through mass loading of the magnetotail, stretching the magnetic field lines, and reducing nightside reconnection. The spatial distribution of polar cap outflow in these simulation studies produces significant outflow in the auroral oval and lacks a distinct cusp source. Thus, the question arises whether cusp outflow can induce sawtooth oscillations. We show controlled numerical experiments with magnetospheric sawtooth oscillations induced by an idealized cusp outflow for driving conditions representative of the interaction of an interplanetary coronal mass ejection with Earth's magnetosphere. The analysis shows that although only a small portion (10%) of the cusp outflow is entrained within the plasma sheet, it is effective in inducing magnetospheric sawtooth oscillations, similar to previous experiments.

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“…The rate of reconnection is constrained by a Petschek‐like inflow condition to be a fraction (≈0.1) of the Alfvén speed in the inflow. Details about the properties of magnetic reconnection in the code can be found in Ouellette et al () and in the supporting information of Zhang et al ().…”

Section: Simulation Informationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Asymmetric Kelvin‐Helmholtz Instability at Jupiter's Magnetopause Boundary: Implications for Corotation‐Dominated Systems

Zhang

Delamere

et al. 2018

Geophysical Research Letters

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The multifluid Lyon‐Fedder‐Mobarry (MFLFM) global magnetosphere model is used to study the interactions between solar wind and rapidly rotating, internally driven Jupiter magnetosphere. The MFLFM model is the first global simulation of Jupiter magnetosphere that captures the Kelvin‐Helmholtz instability (KHI) in the critically important subsolar region. Observations indicate that Kelvin‐Helmholtz vortices are found predominantly in the dusk sector. Our simulations explain that this distribution is driven by the growth of KHI modes in the prenoon and subsolar region (e.g., >10 local time) that are advected by magnetospheric flows to the dusk sector. The period of density fluctuations at the dusk terminator flank (18 magnetic local time, MLT) is roughly 1.4 h compared with 7.2 h at the dawn flank (6 MLT). Although the simulations are only performed using parameters of the Jupiter's magnetosphere, the results may also have implications for solar wind‐magnetosphere interactions at other corotation‐dominated systems such as Saturn. For instance, the simulated average azimuthal speed of magnetosheath flows exhibit significant dawn‐dusk asymmetry, consistent with recent observations at Saturn. The results are particularly relevant for the ongoing Juno mission and the analysis of dawnside magnetopause boundary crossings for other planetary missions.

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Transition from global to local control of dayside reconnection from ionospheric‐sourced mass loading

Cited by 24 publications

References 63 publications

How Jupiter’s unusual magnetospheric topology structures its aurora

How Jupiter’s unusual magnetospheric topology structures its aurora

Is Nightside Outflow Required to Induce Magnetospheric Sawtooth Oscillations

Asymmetric Kelvin‐Helmholtz Instability at Jupiter's Magnetopause Boundary: Implications for Corotation‐Dominated Systems

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