A reexamination of long-duration radial IMF events

Gilbert Pi, Jih Hong Shue, Jih Kwin Chao, Zdenek Němeček, Jana Šafránková, Chia Hsien Lin

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33 Scopus citations

Abstract

The radial interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) is one of the special solar wind conditions when the orientation of the IMF is aligned with the solar wind velocity. In this study, we reexamine the solar wind condition during the long-duration radial IMF (>4 h) using the OMNI solar wind data. During the events, the IMF magnitude, solar wind speed, density, and especially its temperature are depressed in comparison with their yearly averages. In contrast to previous studies, we have found that the total time of the radial IMF per year does not change with solar activity. MHD simulation models failed to predict the location of the magnetopause under the radial IMF condition. A part of the inaccuracy is due to the use of assumed solar wind parameters in the simulations. Here we provide MHD modelers with the real solar wind parameters for simulations of the radial IMF.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)7005-7011
Number of pages7
JournalJournal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics
Volume119
Issue number9
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 2014

Keywords

  • magnetopause
  • radial IMF
  • solar wind

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