Two‐stream modeling of plasmaspheric refilling

Plasmaspheric refilling on an L=4 flux tube was studied by using a time-dependent, hydrodynamic plasmaspheric flow model in which the ion streams from the two hemispheres are treated as distinct fluids. In the model the continuity, momentum, and energy equations of a two-ion (O{sup +} and H{sup +}), quasi-neutral, currentless plasma are solved along a closed geomagnetic field line; diffusive equilibrium is not assumed. Collisions between all stream pairs and with neutral species are included. The model includes a corotating, tilted dipole magnetic field and neutral winds. Ionospheric sources and sinks are accounted for in a self-consistent manner. Electrons are assumed to be heated by photoelectrons. The model flux tube extends from 200-km altitude in one hemisphere to 200-km altitude in the other hemisphere. Initially, the upwelling streams pass through each other practically unimpeded. When the streams approach the boundary in the conjugate ionosphere, a shock develops there, which moves upward and dissipates slowly; at about the same time a reverse shock develops in the hemisphere of origin, which moves upward. After about 1 hour, large shocks develop in each stream near the equator; these shocks move toward the equator and downward after crossing the equator. However, these shocks aremore » probably artificial, because counterstreaming flows occur in each H{sup +} fluid, which the model can only handle by creating shocks. 25 refs., 10 figs.« less