The impact of Radial and Non-Radial IMF on the Earth's Magnetopause Size, Shape, and Dawn-Dusk Asymmetry from Global 3D Kinetic Simulations.

Abstract

The magnetopause expansion at the subsolar point for radial and non-radial IMF is partly due to the reduction of the solar wind dynamic pressure caused by backstreaming ions.• Although backstreaming ions constitute only 16.5% and 20% of the solar wind bulk flow for radial and non-radial IMF, they strongly modify the dynamic pressure.• For both radial and non-radial IMF, the magnetopause is asymmetric, being more extended on the duskside than on the dawnside.