IMP 8 magnetosheath field comparisons with models

Abstract. This study presents cross-sectional vector maps of the magnetic field derived from IMP 8 magnetometer in the magnetosheath at 30 R_e behind the Earth. In addition the vector patterns of the magnetosheath field for northward, southward, and east-west interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) directions are qualitatively compared with those obtained from the Spreiter-Stahara gas dynamic (GD) and Fedder-Lyon magnetohydrodynamic models (MHD). The main purpose is to display the cross-sectional differences in relation to the dayside merging with different IMF directions, allowing the reader to make direct visual comparisons of the vector patterns. It is seen that for east-west IMF directions, the data-based and MHD-based patterns differ noticeably in a similar way from the GD model, presumably reflecting the influence of dayside magnetic merging of the Earth's magnetic field with the y-component of the interplanetary magnetic field. All three northward IMF cross sections show comparable field draping patterns as expected for a closed magnetosphere. For southward IMF case, on the other hand, differences between the three cross-sectional patterns are greater as seen in the field vector sizes and directions, especially closer to the magnetopause where more disturbed magnetospheric conditions are known to be exist. The data comparisons with the MHD and GD models show that the differences result from the magnetic field-flow coupling and that the effects of dayside reconnection are present in IMP 8 magnetic field measurements.

Keywords. Vector maps · IMP 8 magnetometer · Inter-planetary magnetic fields