Premium
Numerical simulations of magnetospheric plasmas review and Quadrennial Report to the IUGG
Author(s) -
Palmadesso Peter J.,
Ganguli Supriya B.,
Fedder Joel A.,
Lyon John G.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
reviews of geophysics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 8.087
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1944-9208
pISSN - 8755-1209
DOI - 10.1029/rg025i003p00599
Subject(s) - magnetosphere , ionosphere , physics , nonlinear system , statistical physics , computational physics , plasma , geophysics , coupling (piping) , meteorology , range (aeronautics) , computer science , aerospace engineering , mechanical engineering , quantum mechanics , engineering
This article provides a broad survey of U. S. progress during the quadrennium 1983–1986 in the category ‘numerical simulations of magnetospheric plasmas’. There has been a substantial increase of activity in this area during this period. Simulations have been instrumental in providing valuable insights into large scale dynamic phenomena, nonlinear effects, and complex kinetic phenomena in a wide variety of subject areas, including shocks and double layers, ionosphere‐magnetosphere coupling phenomena, and important microphysical processes such as broadband electrostatic noise. The methodology of computer simulation has also been advanced during this quadrennium. Vlasov algorithms have been improved; hybrid codes in 2 and 3D have been developed and applied to magnetospheric problems; and complex problems have with increasing frequency been subjected to a multipronged attack in which several types of simulation models, each designed to accurately model phenomena within a particular range of temporal or spatial scales, are employed synergistically.