[1] A global magnetohydrodynamic numerical simulation is used to study the large-scale structure and formation location of flux transfer events (FTEs) in synergy with in situ spacecraft and ground-based observations. During the main period of interest on the 14 February 2001 from 0930 to 1100 UT the Cluster spacecraft were approaching the Northern Hemisphere high-latitude magnetopause in the postnoon sector on an outbound trajectory. Throughout this period the magnetic field, electron, and ion sensors on board Cluster observed characteristic signatures of FTEs. A few minutes delayed to these observations the Super Dual Auroral Radar Network (SuperDARN) system indicated flow disturbances in the conjugate ionospheres. These ''two-point'' observations on the ground and in space were closely correlated and were caused by ongoing unsteady reconnection in the vicinity of the spacecraft. The three-dimensional structures and dynamics of the observed FTEs and the associated reconnection sites are studied by using the BlockAdaptive-Tree-Solarwind-Roe-Upwind-Scheme (BATS-R-US) MHD code in combination with a simple open flux tube motion model (Cooling). Using these two models the spatial and temporal evolution of the FTEs is estimated. The models fill the gaps left by measurements and allow a ''point-to-point'' mapping between the instruments in order to investigate the global structure of the phenomenon. The modeled results presented are in good correlation with previous theoretical and observational studies addressing individual features of FTEs.
Abstract. Among the many challenges facing the space weather modelling community today, is the need for validation and verification methods of the numerical models available describing the complex nonlinear Sun-Earth system. Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) models represent the latest numerical models of this environment and have the unique ability to span the enormous distances present in the magnetosphere, from several hundred kilometres to several thousand kilometres above the Earth's surface. This makes it especially difficult to develop verification and validation methods which posses the same range spans as the models. In this paper we present a first general large-scale comparison between four years (2001)(2002)(2003)(2004) worth of in situ Cluster plasma observations and the corresponding simulated predictions from the coupled Block-Adaptive-Tree-SolarwindRoe-Upwind-Scheme (BATS-R-US) MHD code. The comparison between the in situ measurements and the model predictions reveals that by systematically constraining the MHD model inflow boundary conditions a good correlation between the in situ observations and the modeled data can be found. These results have an implication for modelling studies addressing also smaller scale features of the magnetosphere. The global MHD simulation can therefore be used to place localised satellite and/or ground-based observations into a global context and fill the gaps left by measurements.
Abstract. Among the many challenges facing modern space physics today is the need for a visualisation and analysis package which can examine the results from the diversity of numerical and empirical computer models as well as observational data. Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) models represent the latest numerical models of the complex Earth's space environment and have the unique ability to span the enormous distances present in the magnetosphere from several hundred kilometres to several thousand kilometres above the Earth surface. This feature enables scientist to study complex structures of processes where otherwise only point measurements from satellites or ground-based instruments are available. Only by combining these observational data and the MHD simulations it is possible to enlarge the scope of the point-to-point observations and to fill the gaps left by measurements in order to get a full 3-D representation of the processes in our geospace environment. In this paper we introduce the VisAn MHD toolbox for Matlab as a tool for the visualisation and analysis of observational data and MHD simulations. We have created an easy to use tool which is capable of highly sophisticated visualisations and data analysis of the results from a diverse set of MHD models in combination with in situ measurements from satellites and groundbased instruments. The toolbox is being released under an open-source licensing agreement to facilitate and encourage community use and contribution.
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