Dissecting Earth’s Magnetosphere: 3D Energy Transport in a Simulation of a Real Storm Event

Abstract

We present new analysis methods of 3D MHD output data from the Space Weather Modeling Framework during a simulated storm event. Earth’s magnetosphere is identified in the simulation domain and divided based on magnetic topology and the bounding magnetopause definition. Volume energy contents and surface energy fluxes are analyzed for each subregion to track the energy transport in the system as the driving solar wind conditions change. Two energy pathways are revealed, one external and one internal. The external pathway between the magnetosheath and magnetosphere has magnetic energy flux entering the lobes and escaping through the closed field region and is consistent with previous work and theory. The internal pathway, which has never been studied in this manner, reveals magnetically dominated energy recirculating between open and closed field lines. The energy enters the lobes across the dayside magnetospheric cusps and escapes the lobes through the nightside plasmasheet boundary layer. This internal circulation directly controls the energy content in the lobes and the partitioning of the total energy between lobes and closed field line regions. Qualitative analysis of four-field junction neighborhoods indicate the internal circulation pathway is controlled via the reconnection X-line(s), and by extension, the interplanetary magnetic field orientation. These results allow us to make clear and quantifiable arguments about the energy dynamics of Earth’s magnetosphere, and the role of the lobes as an expandable reservoir that cannot retain energy for long periods of time but can grow and shrink in energy content due to mismatch between incoming and outgoing energy flux.Plain Language SummaryResults of computer simulation of near Earth space is looked at in a new way to understand how energy moves around the global system. It is found that in addition to a pathway of energy from the outside into the system and back again there is an internal loop which recirculates energy. These new methods will greatly improve our understanding how the whole magnetosphere system evolves and will help address evolution of processes that have space weather impacts.Key PointsSimulation results are used to quantify the global energy dynamics of Earth’s magnetosphere in terms of energy pathwaysExternally during main phase most energy lost is from the closed region due to magnetopause erosion while most energy gained is through the lobe boundaryInternally, large amounts of energy is recirculated at the cusp from the closed to open field, then passed back to the closed region in the tail