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Fig. 2. | Earth, Planets and Space

Fig. 2.

From: Possible generation mechanisms of the Pi2 pulsations estimated from a global MHD simulation

Fig. 2.

(Top) Flow vectors at r = 10 R e at t = 53.5 min and (bottom) current lines of the R1 FAC with their roots on the meridian of 21.3 LT (Region A in Fig. 1). Center spheres in both panels mean the inner boundary (3 R e ). Contours in both panels illustrate pressure profile in the equatorial plane (afternoon ~ evening side) and that in the meridional plane. The big white arrow in the top panel indicates the flow shear invoked by the high-speed plasma flow at the substorm onset. The red region in the inner boundary means R1FAC in the bottom panel. The R1 FAC is connected with the cross-field current to the cusp generator region in the region of the flow shear.

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