Open AccessUpdated model represents the magnetosphere anisotropically
Author(s) -
Schultz Colin
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
eos, transactions american geophysical union
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.316
H-Index - 86
eISSN - 2324-9250
pISSN - 0096-3941
DOI - 10.1002/2013eo500006
Subject(s) - magnetosphere , physics , ring current , isotropy , solar wind , computational physics , anisotropy , nonlinear system , electron , van allen radiation belt , plasma , energy exchange , classical mechanics , nuclear physics , atmospheric sciences , quantum mechanics
The physical interactions that occur in the magnetosphere, from the collisions of high‐energy particles in the ring current to the exchange of energy between the solar wind plasma and the electrons of the radiation belts, are explained by complex nonlinear physics. These physical dynamics are anisotropic processes—that is, the interactions are directionally dependent. Computer simulations of the magnetosphere, however, generally represent the physics isotropically—without considering the direction of the interaction. Isotropic calculations are less computationally expensive than anisotropic representations, but the simplification can lead to reduced model accuracy.