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Evolution of a Foreshock Bubble in the Midtail Foreshock and Impact on the Magnetopause: 3‐D Global Hybrid Simulation
Author(s) -
Wang ChihPing,
Wang Xueyi,
Liu Terry Z.,
Lin Yu
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2020gl089844
Subject(s) - foreshock , magnetosheath , magnetopause , bow shock (aerodynamics) , geophysics , physics , solar wind , interplanetary magnetic field , shock (circulatory) , ecliptic , shock wave , mechanics , magnetic field , geology , seismology , medicine , quantum mechanics , aftershock
Foreshock transients have been observed in the midtail foreshock. How a foreshock transient evolves in nightside foreshock and how it may impact the midtail bow shock, magnetosheath, and magnetopause has not been simulated. In this study, we present three‐dimensional global hybrid simulation results of a foreshock bubble (FB) driven by an interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) rotational discontinuity. As the FB propagates in the nightside foreshock, its spatial size grows to >10 R E , and its density and dynamic pressure perturbations are enhanced by >50% of the solar wind values. As the FB interacts with the nightside bow shock, the bow shock is temporarily eroded, and the corresponding dynamic pressure perturbations in the magnetosheath penetrate deep to the magnetopause, causing localized distortion of the magnetopause shape. As the FB moves tailward, it continuously generates new perturbations in the magnetosheath and magnetopause following FB's propagation.