Tail reconnection in the global magnetospheric context: Vlasiator first results

Palmroth, Minna; Hoilijoki, Sanni; Juusola, Liisa; Pulkkinen, Tuija I.; Hietala, Heli; Pfau-Kempf, Yann; Ganse, Urs; von Alfthan, Sebastian; Vainio, Rami; Hesse, Michael

doi:https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-35-1269-2017

Articles | Volume 35, issue 6

https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-35-1269-2017

© Author(s) 2017. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-35-1269-2017

© Author(s) 2017. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Articles | Volume 35, issue 6

ANGEO Communicates

|

28 Nov 2017

ANGEO Communicates |

| 28 Nov 2017

Tail reconnection in the global magnetospheric context: Vlasiator first results

Minna Palmroth, Sanni Hoilijoki, Liisa Juusola, Tuija I. Pulkkinen, Heli Hietala, Yann Pfau-Kempf, Urs Ganse, Sebastian von Alfthan, Rami Vainio, and Michael Hesse

Supplement

https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-35-1269-2017-supplement

Data sets

Preliminary testing of global hybrid- Vlasov simulation M. Palmroth, I. Honkonen, A. Sandroos, Y. Kempf, S. von Alfthan, and D. Pokhotelov: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jastp.2012.09.013

ULF foreshock under radial IMF M. Palmroth, M. Archer, R. Vainio, H. Hietala, Y. Pfau-Kempf, S. Hoilijoki, O. Hannuksela, U. Ganse, A. Sandroos, S. von Alfthan, and J. Eastwood: https://doi.org/10.1002/2015JA021526

Vlasiator: First kinetic global hybrid-Vlasov simulation code for modelling space plasma S. von Alfthan, D. Pokhotelov, Y. Kempf, S. Hoilijoki, I. Honkonen, A. Sandroos, and M. Palmroth: https://doi.org/10.1016/jjastp.2014.08.012

Short summary

Much like solar flares, substorms occurring within the Earth's magnetic domain are explosive events that cause vivid auroral displays. A decades-long debate exists to explain the substorm onset. We devise a simulation encompassing the entire near-Earth space and demonstrate that detailed modelling of magnetic reconnection explains the central substorm observations. Our results help to understand the unpredictable substorm process, which will significantly improve space weather forecasts.