HR: 1340h
AN: SM43C-1235 [Abstracts]
TI: North-South IMF and a magnetosheath flow effect on the magnetic field line draping pattern in the
dayside magnetosheath.
AU: * Longmore, M
EM: m.longmore@qmul.ac.uk
AF: Queen Mary, University of London, Mile End Rd, London, E1 4NS
United Kingdom
AU: Schwartz, S
SM43C-1235
AF: Imperial College, Blackett Laboratory, London, sw7 2BW
United Kingdom
AU: Lucek, E
SM43C-1235
AF: Imperial College, Blackett Laboratory, London, sw7 2BW
United Kingdom
AB:
Orientations of the observed magnetic field in the dayside magnetosheath are compared with the predicted field line-draping
pattern from the Köbel-Flucklinger model. We present histogram distributions which describe the deviations between the
actual and model predicted magnetosheath magnetic field clock angle for different magnetosheath cross-sections under
northwards, southwards and equatorial IMF. In some sections of the magnetosheath, a broadening of the distribution is
observed in conjunction with strongly northwards and southwards IMF which is evidence that reconnection strongly influences
the draping pattern. When this is the case the accuracy of the model prescription for magnetosheath clock angle is poor.
Furthermore, a consistent rotation of the overall draping pattern with respect to the model prediction is found. The sense of
rotation is understood in terms of a twisting of the magnetic field lines by the magnetosheath plasma flow. We show that
reconnection and the bulk flow direction of the plasma strongly influence draping in the dayside magnetosheath.
DE: 2728 Magnetosheath
SC: SPA-Magnetospheric Physics [SM]
MN: Fall Meeting 2005