HR: 16:00h
AN: SM32D-01    [PDF]
TI: Coupling of Solar Wind Energy to the Magnetosphere via ULF Waves
AU: * Spence, H
EM: spence@bu.edu
AF: Boston University Center for Space Physics, 725 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215
AU: Lyon, J
EM: jlyon@bu.edu
AF: Boston University Center for Space Physics, 725 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215
AU: Kepko, L
EM: lkepko@bu.edu
AF: Boston University Center for Space Physics, 725 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215
AU: Guild, T
EM: tguild@bu.edu
AF: Boston University Center for Space Physics, 725 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215
AU: Wiltberger, M
EM: wiltbemj@ucar.edu
AF: NCAR, HAO, Boulder, CO 80307
AB: The solar wind flow ultimately provides energy to the magnetosphere through a variety of different processes. One of these energy transfer paths is via the excitation of magnetospheric ULF waves. Recent studies (Kepko et al., 2002; Kepko and Spence, 2003) have identified a subset of global ULF waves (multiple, discrete-frequency $<$3 mHz), driven directly by density structures in the solar wind. In this paper, we examine this mechanism through model-data comparison. We use the Lyon-Fedder-Mobarry MHD model to simulate the global magnetospheric response under a variety of solar wind ram pressure drivers (both idealized and as observed) and compare these results with observations to explore and quantify such characteristics as coupling efficiency and frequency response.
DE: 2740 Magnetospheric configuration and dynamics
DE: 2752 MHD waves and instabilities
DE: 2784 Solar wind/magnetosphere interactions
SC: SPA - Magnetospheric Physics [SM]
MN: 2003 Fall Meeting