Last Updated: 09/13/2022

GEM Mid-Tail Modeling

The CCMC has begun work on a modeling challenge to assess global MHD models' capability to predict large-scale and meso-scale dynamics of the mid-tail at 60 RE in response to the solar wind/IMF changes. Background information and presentations from the mid-tail modeling challenge session at the 2016 GEM Summer Workshop are available.

Introduction

From the Tail Environment and Dynamics at Lunar Distances Focus Group

We are organizing a modeling challenge to investigate the ability of global models (both MHD and hybrid models) to reproduce the large-scale and meso-scale structures dynamics of the mid-tail (X ~ -60 RE) observed by ARTEMIS. For this challenge we selected an event with prolonged (48 hours) northward IMF interval from 13-14 February 2014, during which the two ARTEMIS probes (separation of ~1-3 RE) were at XGSE = -60 RE moving from YGSE = 23 to 3 RE and are close to the current sheet. The objective is to address the following questions:

  1. How does the mid-tail configuration response to changes in IMF By and solar wind dynamic pressure?
  2. What processes cause the 10 to 30 min perturbations in the mid-tail plasma sheet?
  3. What are characteristics of plasma flows in mid-tail plasma sheet?

Presentation on this challenge

Chih-Ping Wang' s Event overview [PDF]

Publications about mid-tail observation and modeling

  • Sibeck et al. (2014), Size and shape of the distant magnetotail, J. Geophys Res. Space Physics, 119, 1028-1043, doi:10.1002/2013JA019471.
  • Wang et al. (2014), Properties of low-latitude mantle plasma in the Earth' s magnetotail: ARTEMIS observations and global MHD predictions, J. Geophys. Res. Space Physics, 119, doi:10.1002/2014JA020060.
  • Wang et al. (2015), Dawn-dusk asymmetry in bursty hot electron enhancements in the midtail magnetosheath, J. Geophys. Res. Space Physics, 120, doi:10.1002/2015JA021522.

Simulation runs at CCMC

Planned Higher-resolution simulation runs by modelers

  • LFM (Slava Merkin)
  • OpenGGCM (Joseph Jensen)
  • GUMICS (Ilja Honkonen)
  • Auburn University global hybrid code (Yu Lin, Xueyi Wang)

Please send questions, comments and suggestions to Chih-Ping Wang. and Lutz Rastaetter.

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