Earth Sun ID: 4088

Reconnection Fronts - What the Models Say...

Visualizations by Tom Bridgman Released on September 26, 2013

Mathematical models of Earth's magnetosphere have become increasingly more complex and accurate. They have sufficient detail to illustrate many small-scale phenomena.

In this simulation run of the Geospace General Circulation Model (GGCM) we see new details that have been observed by in situ satellites. As the solar wind is deflected around Earth's magnetosphere (the 'bubble' of plasma surrounding Earth held by Earth's magnetic field), plasma flows within the bubble can change. In the graphics below, physical variables such as magnetic field and electric currents are plotted. With these variables, we overlay the net flow of the plasma (arrows), subjected to selection criteria to separate flows of plasma away from Earth and towards Earth. Green arrows are low-speed flows (below about 150 kilometers/second), while red arrows correspond to high-speed plasmal flows (about 300 kilometers/second and higher).

Magnetic field in x-y plane (approximately Earth equatorial plane) but pointed in the z-direction. Purple has the field pointed towards the camera, orange has the field pointed away from the camera. The solar wind approaches Earth (blue dot) from the left. The magnetotail extends to the right.

Magnetic field in x-y plane (approximately Earth equatorial plane) but pointed in the z-direction with plasma flows directed TOWARDS Earth. Purple has the field pointed towards the camera, orange has the field pointed away from the camera. The solar wind approaches Earth (blue dot) from the left. The magnetotail extends to the right.

Magnetic field in x-y plane (approximately Earth equatorial plane) but pointed in the z-direction with plasma flows directed away from Earth towards the magnetotail. Purple has the field pointed towards the camera, orange has the field pointed away from the camera. The solar wind approaches Earth (blue dot) from the left. The magnetotail extends to the right.

Electric current in the x-y plane (approximately Earth equatorial plane). White corresponds to regions of high current density, black to low current density. The solar wind approaches Earth (blue dot) from the left. The magnetotail extends to the right.

Electric current in the x-y plane (approximately Earth equatorial plane) with plasma flows directed TOWARDS Earth. White corresponds to regions of high current density, black to low current density. The solar wind approaches Earth (blue dot) from the left. The magnetotail extends to the right.

Electric current in the x-y plane (approximately Earth equatorial plane) with plasma flows directed away from Earth towards the magnetotail. White corresponds to regions of high current density, black to low current density. The solar wind approaches Earth (blue dot) from the left. The magnetotail extends to the right.

For More Information

http://www.nasa.gov/content/goddard/several-nasa-spacecraft-track-energy-through-space/

Visualization Credits

Tom Bridgman (Global Science and Technology, Inc.): Lead Animator
Genna Duberstein (USRA): Video Editor
Vassilis Angelopoulos (University of California at Berkeley): Scientist
Joachim Raeder (University of New Hampshire): Scientist
Karen Fox (ADNET Systems, Inc.): Writer

Please give credit for this item to:
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center Scientific Visualization Studio

Short URL to share this page:
https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/4088

Missions:
THEMIS and ARTEMIS
THEMIS

Data Used:

Geospace General Circulation Model (GGCM) also referred to as: GGCM

Model - University of New Hampshire

MHD Magnetospheric simulation

http://openggcm.sr.unh.edu/wiki/index.php/Main_Page

view all stories where this data set is used

Note: While we identify the data sets used in these visualizations, we do not store any further details nor the data sets themselves on our site.

Keywords:
SVS >> Magnetic Reconnection
SVS >> Magnetohydrodynamics
SVS >> Magnetosphere
SVS >> Plasma
GCMD >> Location >> Magnetotail
SVS >> THEMIS
NASA Science >> Earth
NASA Science >> Sun

GCMD keywords can be found on the Internet with the following citation: Olsen, L.M., G. Major, K. Shein, J. Scialdone, S. Ritz, T. Stevens, M. Morahan, A. Aleman, R. Vogel, S. Leicester, H. Weir, M. Meaux, S. Grebas, C.Solomon, M. Holland, T. Northcutt, R. A. Restrepo, R. Bilodeau, 2013. NASA/Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Earth Science Keywords. Version 8.0.0.0.0