Skip to main content
Earth, Planets and Space
Download PDF

The dynamical behavior of the earth’s magnetosphere based on laboratory simulation

Earth, Planets and Space volume 56, pages 1005–1010 (2004)Cite this article

Abstract

A laboratory simulation experiment was performed to observe the dynamical behavior of the earth’s magnetosphere, based upon the earthward electric field measurement in the magnetotail. The simulation was examined to satisfy the MHD scaling laws. The earthward electric field, E x , is the signature of the current density based on j × B force in the tail, described by Podgorny (1978). The effect of the solar wind dynamic pressure to the earthward electric field, E x , was investigated. The solar wind density was changed while the other parameters were kept almost constant. It is found that the E x is modulated by the change in the solar wind dynamic pressure. The result also shows that the current continued to flow in the near earth region even after the solar wind had stopped. This result shows a similar resemblance to that of the particle confinement in the radiation belt of the real magnetosphere.

References

  • Baranov, P. J., Simulation of flow of interplanetary plasma past the magnetosphere of the earth or planets, Cosmic Res., 7, 98–104, 1969.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baum, P. J. and A. Bartenahl, The laboratory magnetosphere, Geophys. Res. Lett., 9, 435–438, 1982.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Birn, J., G. Yur, H. U. Rahman, and S. Minami, On the termination of the closed field line region of the magnetotail, J. Geophys. Res., 97, 14883–14840, 1992.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bostick, W. H., M. Brettschneider, and H. Byfield, Plasma flow around three-dimensional dipole, J. Geophys. Res., 68, 263–269, 1963.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cladis, J. B., T. D. Miller, and J. R. Baskett, Interaction of supersonic plasma stream with a dipole magnetic field, J. Geophys. Res., 69, 463–469, 1964.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fukushima, N. and N. Kawashima, Model experiments and neutral phenomena of interaction of solar plasma stream with geomagnetic field, Rep. Ionos, Space Res. Japan, 18, 4, 1964.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kawashima, N., The interaction of plasma stream with three-dimensional magnetic dipole, J. Phys. Soc., 18, 59–64, 1964.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kesner, J., L. Bromberg, D. Garnier, and M. Mauel, Plasma confinement in a magnetic dipole, ICP/09, 17th Fusion Energy Conference, Oct 19–24, 1998.

    Google Scholar 

  • Minami, S., Effects of the local interstellar medium magnetic filed on the structure of the heliosphere: A laboratory simulation, Geophys. Res. Lett., 21, 81–84, 1994.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Minami, S. and Y. Takeya, Flow of artificial plasma in a simulated magnetosphere: Evidence of direct interplanetary magnetic field control of the magnetosphere, J. Geophys. Res., 90, 9503–9518, 1985.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Minami, S., Y. Hirose, and Y. Takeya, Simulation experiment of twined plasma produced by powered double probe in the tail region of the magnetosphere, Mem. of Fac. of Eng. Osaka City Uni., 18, 27–36, 1977.

    Google Scholar 

  • Minami, S., P. J. Baum, G. Kamin, and R. S. White, Laboratory formation of a simulated comet, Geophys. Res. Lett., 13, 884–887, 1986.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Minami, S., P. J. Baum, G. Kamin, and R. S. White, Laboratory comet simulation experiments, in Laboratory and Space Plasmas, edited by H. Kikuchi, 621 pp., Springer Verlag, New York, 1988a.

    Google Scholar 

  • Minami, S., P. J. Baum, G. Kamin, and Y. Takeya, Laboratory behavior of a plasma plume injected into the magnetized plasma flow, J. Geomag. Geoelectr., 40, 1283–1302, 1988b.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Minami, S., K. Hashimoto, and Y. Takeya, Dipole tilt angle effect on the magnetosphere of Neptune—a laboratory simulation, Geophys. Res. Lett., 17, 896–899, 1990.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Minami, S., I. M. Podgorny, and A. I. Podgorny, Laboratory evidence of Earthward electric field in the magnetotail current Sheet, Geophys. Res. Lett., 20(1), 9–12, 1993.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Osborne, F. J. F., M. P. Bachynski, and J. V. Gore, Laboratory studies of the variation of the magnetosphere, J. Geophys. Res., 69, 4441, 1964.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Podgorny, I. M., Laboratory experiments (Plasma intrusion into the magnetic field), Space Research Institute, Rep. Pr.-225, 1976.

    Google Scholar 

  • Podgorny, I. M., Current sheet formation, in Fundamental of Cosmic Physics, 4, pp. 1, 1978.

    Google Scholar 

  • Podgorny, A. I. and I. M. Podgorny, A solar flare model including the formation and destruction of the current sheet in the corona, Solar Phys., 139, 125–145, 1992.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Podgorny, I. M., A. I. Podgorny, S. Minami, and R. Rana, The mechanism of energy release and field-aligned current during the substorms and solar flares, Advances in Polar Upper Atmosphere Research, 17, 77–83, 2003.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schindler, K., Laboratory experiments related to the solarwind and the magnetosphere, Rev. of Geophys., 7(1,2), 51–75, 1969.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Affiliations

  1. Department of Electrical Engineering, Osaka City University, Osaka, 558-0014, Japan

    R. Rana, S. Minami & S. Takechi

  2. P. N. Lebdev Physical Institute, Moscow, Russia

    A. I. Podgorny

  3. Space Research Institute, Moscow, Russia

    I. M. Podgorny

Authors
  1. R. Rana
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. S. Minami
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. S. Takechi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. A. I. Podgorny
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. I. M. Podgorny
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to R. Rana.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Rana, R., Minami, S., Takechi, S. et al. The dynamical behavior of the earth’s magnetosphere based on laboratory simulation. Earth Planet Sp 56, 1005–1010 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03351798

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03351798

Key words

  • Magnetosphere
  • solar wind
  • electric field
  • magnetic field
  • current sheet
  • field aligned current
  • plasma confinement