3-Day Magnetopause Standoff
From ISWA wiki
Contents |
Description
The magnetopause is computed by tracing magnetic field lines in the dayside magnetosphere in 3D data output from the SWMF/BATSRUS magnetosphere real time simulation.
The magnetopause standoff distance as plotted for the last three days is the distance on the GSM Sun-Earth line of the last closed field line of the magnetosphere. The data are available up to 30 to 60 minutes in the future, depending on the solar wind travel time from the ACE spacecraft to the upstream simulation boundary at 33 RE.
Under quiet condition the magnetopause is 10 RE to 12 RE away from Earth. In dense solar wind or in the presence of a strong and negative solar wind magnetic field component Bz, the magnetopause can move closer and even cross geo-synchronous orbit (distance about 6.7 RE).
Uses
The user immediately sees whether the magnetopause boundary comes close to geo-synchronous orbit.
Satellite operations may have to change while the spacecraft exits the magnetosphere and remains in the magnetosheath.
References
Space Weather Modeling Framework page at CCMC
NOAA Space Weather Proediction Center
Credits
ACE real time data from NOAA SWPC
SWMF/BATSRUS real time run at CCMC
