BepiColombo
Detailed descriptionThis projects deals with three-dimensional hybrid simulations of Mercury's magnetosphere and its interaction with solar wind. Hybrid simulations treat ions as individual macroparticles and electrons as massless, charge-neutralizing fluid. In contrast to fluid models, the hybrid model thus includes ion kinetics which may significantly affect dynamics of the interaction. This simulation set contains several hybrid simulations under varying direction of interplanetary magnetic field. Background plasma conditions correspond to solar wind of proton number density 15cm^-3 flowing at speed 450km.s^-1, with magnitude of IMF B0=20nT. Under these conditions the plasma flow is super-Alfvenic, v=(4v_A,0,0), here v_A is proton Alfven velocity in unperturbed solar wind. Proton kinetic to magnetic pressure ratio is beta_p=0.5. Radius of Mercury is scaled down approximately by a factor of 2, so that R_M=21d0 where d0 is proton intertial length in unperturbed solar wind. Mercury's magnetic moment is scaled correspondingly to the scaling of Mercury's radius in such way that the stand-off distance of magnetopause is conserved. The dipole field is shifted by 0.2R_M towards north with respect to Mercury's center. In the simulation setup, axis X is parallel to solar wind flow direction; axis Z is parallel to Mercury's dipole axis; and axis Y completes right-handed system. Magnetic field components may be written as Bx=B0*cos(theta)*cos(phi), By=B0*sin(theta)*cos(phi), Bz=B0*sin(phi), here theta is an angle between IMF and Sun-planet line in equatorial plane and phi is an angle between IMF and Sun-planet line in noon-mignight meridian plane. This simulation set contains simulations with following IMF orientations: IMF-Northward-Planetward: theta=0°, phi=20°, B=(0.94,0,0.34)B0 IMF-Southward-Planetward: theta=0°, phi=-20°, B=(0.94,0,-0.34)B0 IMF-Northward-Sunward: theta=0°, phi=160°, B=(-0.94,0,0.34)B0 IMF-Southward-Sunward: theta=0°, phi=-160°, B=(-0.94,0,-0.34)B0 IMF-Equatorial-Planetward: theta=-45°, phi=0°, B=(0.71,-0.71,0)B0 IMF-Equatorial-Sunward: theta=135°, phi=0°, B=(-0.71,0.71,0)B0 IMF-Planetward: theta=0°, phi=0°, B=(1,0,0)B0 IMF-Sunward: theta=180°, phi=0°, B=(-1,0,0)B0
|
Projects |
Project images
List of simulations
|
IMF-Sunward Hybrid simulation of Mercury's interaction with the solar wind under purely Sunward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF): B=(-1,0,0). Available products: B, Bx, By, Bz, Density, E, Ex, Ey, Ez, Ppar, Pperp, U, Ux, Uy, Uz |
||
CoordinatesCoordinate system is centered in Mercury's center and unit of length is Mercury's radius. Axis X is parallel to solar wind flow direction; axis Z is parallel to Mercury's dipole axis; axis Y completes right-handed system. |
Initial conditionsBackground plasma conditions correspond to solar wind of proton number density 15cm^-3 flowing at speed 450km.s^-1, with magnitude of IMF B0=20nT. Magnetic field is purely Sunward, B=(-1,0,0)B0. Under these conditions the plasma flow is super-Alfvenic, v=(4v_A,0,0), here v_A is proton Alfven velocity in unperturbed solar wind. Proton kinetic to magnetic pressure ratio is beta_p=0.5. Radius of Mercury is scaled down approximately by a factor of 2, so that R_M=21d0 where d0 is proton intertial length in unperturbed solar wind. Mercury's magnetic moment is scaled correspondingly to the scaling of Mercury's radius in such way that the stand-off distance of magnetopause is conserved. The dipole field is shifted by 0.2R_M towards north with respect to Mercury's center. |
ParametersGrid size: Nx=940, Ny=Nz=400; Time step: dt=0.01 in units of inversed proton gyrofrequency. Cell size: dx=0.019, dy=dz=0.0476 in units of Mercury's radius |
Simulation presets
|
Products in simulation
|
|
|
IMF-Southward-Sunward Hybrid simulation of Mercury's interaction with the solar wind under southward-Sunward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF): B=(-0.94,0,-0.34). Available products: B, Bx, By, Bz, Density, E, Ex, Ey, Ez, Ppar, Pperp, U, Ux, Uy, Uz |
||
CoordinatesCoordinate system is centered in Mercury's center and unit of length is Mercury's radius. Axis X is parallel to solar wind flow direction; axis Z is parallel to Mercury's dipole axis; axis Y completes right-handed system. |
Initial conditionsBackground plasma conditions correspond to solar wind of proton number density 15cm^-3 flowing at speed 450km.s^-1, with magnitude of IMF B0=20nT. Magnetic field is southward-Sunward, B=(-0.94,0,-0.34)B0. Under these conditions the plasma flow is super-Alfvenic, v=(4v_A,0,0), here v_A is proton Alfven velocity in unperturbed solar wind. Proton kinetic to magnetic pressure ratio is beta_p=0.5. Radius of Mercury is scaled down approximately by a factor of 2, so that R_M=21d0 where d0 is proton intertial length in unperturbed solar wind. Mercury's magnetic moment is scaled correspondingly to the scaling of Mercury's radius in such way that the stand-off distance of magnetopause is conserved. The dipole field is shifted by 0.2R_M towards north with respect to Mercury's center. |
ParametersGrid size: Nx=940, Ny=Nz=400; Time step: dt=0.01 in units of inversed proton gyrofrequency. Cell size: dx=0.019, dy=dz=0.0476 in units of Mercury's radius |
Simulation presets
|
Products in simulation
|
|
|
IMF-Southward-Planetward Hybrid simulation of Mercury's interaction with the solar wind under southward-planetward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF): B=(0.94,0,-0.34). Available products: B, Bx, By, Bz, Density, E, Ex, Ey, Ez, Ppar, Pperp, U, Ux, Uy, Uz |
||
CoordinatesCoordinate system is centered in Mercury's center and unit of length is Mercury's radius. Axis X is parallel to solar wind flow direction; axis Z is parallel to Mercury's dipole axis; axis Y completes right-handed system. |
Initial conditionsBackground plasma conditions correspond to solar wind of proton number density 15cm^-3 flowing at speed 450km.s^-1, with magnitude of IMF B0=20nT. Magnetic field is southward-planetward,B=(0.94,0.0,-0.34)B0. Under these conditions the plasma flow is super-Alfvenic, v=(4v_A,0,0), here v_A is proton Alfven velocity in unperturbed solar wind. Proton kinetic to magnetic pressure ratio is beta_p=0.5. Radius of Mercury is scaled down approximately by a factor of 2, so that R_M=21d0 where d0 is proton intertial length in unperturbed solar wind. Mercury's magnetic moment is scaled correspondingly to the scaling of Mercury's radius in such way that the stand-off distance of magnetopause is conserved. The dipole field is shifted by 0.2R_M towards north with respect to Mercury's center. |
ParametersGrid size: Nx=940, Ny=Nz=400; Time step: dt=0.01 in units of inversed proton gyrofrequency. Cell size: dx=0.019, dy=dz=0.0476 in units of Mercury's radius |
Simulation presets
|
Products in simulation
|
|
|
IMF-Planetward Hybrid simulation of Mercury's interaction with the solar wind under purely planetward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF): B=(1,0,0). Available products: B, Bx, By, Bz, Density, E, Ex, Ey, Ez, Ppar, Pperp, U, Ux, Uy, Uz |
||
CoordinatesCoordinate system is centered in Mercury's center and unit of length is Mercury's radius. Axis X is parallel to solar wind flow direction; axis Z is parallel to Mercury's dipole axis; axis Y completes right-handed system. |
Initial conditionsBackground plasma conditions correspond to solar wind of proton number density 15cm^-3 flowing at speed 450km.s^-1, with magnitude of IMF B0=20nT. Magnetic field is purely planetward, B=(1,0,0)B0. Under these conditions the plasma flow is super-Alfvenic, v=(4v_A,0,0), here v_A is proton Alfven velocity in unperturbed solar wind. Proton kinetic to magnetic pressure ratio is beta_p=0.5. Radius of Mercury is scaled down approximately by a factor of 2, so that R_M=21d0 where d0 is proton intertial length in unperturbed solar wind. Mercury's magnetic moment is scaled correspondingly to the scaling of Mercury's radius in such way that the stand-off distance of magnetopause is conserved. The dipole field is shifted by 0.2R_M towards north with respect to Mercury's center. |
ParametersGrid size: Nx=940, Ny=Nz=400; Time step: dt=0.01 in units of inversed proton gyrofrequency. Cell size: dx=0.019, dy=dz=0.0476 in units of Mercury's radius |
Simulation presets
|
Products in simulation
|
|
|
IMF-Northward-Sunward Hybrid simulation of Mercury's interaction with the solar wind under northward-Sunward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF): B=(-0.94,0,0.34). Available products: B, Bx, By, Bz, Density, E, Ex, Ey, Ez, Ppar, Pperp, U, Ux, Uy, Uz |
||
CoordinatesCoordinate system is centered in Mercury's center and unit of length is Mercury's radius. Axis X is parallel to solar wind flow direction; axis Z is parallel to Mercury's dipole axis; axis Y completes right-handed system. |
Initial conditionsBackground plasma conditions correspond to solar wind of proton number density 15cm^-3 flowing at speed 450km.s^-1, with magnitude of IMF B0=20nT. Magnetic field is northward-Sunward, B=(-0.94,0,0.34)B0. Under these conditions the plasma flow is super-Alfvenic, v=(4v_A,0,0), here v_A is proton Alfven velocity in unperturbed solar wind. Proton kinetic to magnetic pressure ratio is beta_p=0.5. Radius of Mercury is scaled down approximately by a factor of 2, so that R_M=21d0 where d0 is proton intertial length in unperturbed solar wind. Mercury's magnetic moment is scaled correspondingly to the scaling of Mercury's radius in such way that the stand-off distance of magnetopause is conserved. The dipole field is shifted by 0.2R_M towards north with respect to Mercury's center. |
ParametersGrid size: Nx=940, Ny=Nz=400; Time step: dt=0.01 in units of inversed proton gyrofrequency. Cell size: dx=0.019, dy=dz=0.0476 in units of Mercury's radius |
Simulation presets
|
Products in simulation
|
|
|
IMF-Northward-Planetward Hybrid simulation of Mercury's interaction with the solar wind under northward-planetward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF): B=(0.94,0,0.34). Available products: B, Bx, By, Bz, Density, E, Ex, Ey, Ez, Ppar, Pperp, U, Ux, Uy, Uz |
||
CoordinatesCoordinate system is centered in Mercury's center and unit of length is Mercury's radius. Axis X is parallel to solar wind flow direction; axis Z is parallel to Mercury's dipole axis; axis Y completes right-handed system. |
Initial conditionsBackground plasma conditions correspond to solar wind of proton number density 15cm^-3 flowing at speed 450km.s^-1, with magnitude of IMF B0=20nT. Magnetic field is northward-planetward, B=(0.94,0.0,0.34)B0. Under these conditions the plasma flow is super-Alfvenic, v=(4v_A,0,0), here v_A is proton Alfven velocity in unperturbed solar wind. Proton kinetic to magnetic pressure ratio is beta_p=0.5. Radius of Mercury is scaled down approximately by a factor of 2, so that R_M=21d0 where d0 is proton intertial length in unperturbed solar wind. Mercury's magnetic moment is scaled correspondingly to the scaling of Mercury's radius in such way that the stand-off distance of magnetopause is conserved. The dipole field is shifted by 0.2R_M towards north with respect to Mercury's center. |
ParametersGrid size: Nx=940, Ny=Nz=400; Time step: dt=0.01 in units of inversed proton gyrofrequency. Cell size: dx=0.019, dy=dz=0.0476 in units of Mercury's radius |
Simulation presets
|
Products in simulation
|
|
|
IMF-Equatorial-Sunward Hybrid simulation of Mercury's interaction with the solar wind under equatorial-Sunward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF): B=(-0.71,0.71,0). Available products: B, Bx, By, Bz, Density, E, Ex, Ey, Ez, Ppar, Pperp, U, Ux, Uy, Uz |
||
CoordinatesCoordinate system is centered in Mercury's center and unit of length is Mercury's radius. Axis X is parallel to solar wind flow direction; axis Z is parallel to Mercury's dipole axis; axis Y completes right-handed system. |
Initial conditionsBackground plasma conditions correspond to solar wind of proton number density 15cm^-3 flowing at speed 450km.s^-1, with magnitude of IMF B0=20nT. Magnetic field is equatorial-Sunward, B=(-0.71,0.71,0)B0. Under these conditions the plasma flow is super-Alfvenic, v=(4v_A,0,0), here v_A is proton Alfven velocity in unperturbed solar wind. Proton kinetic to magnetic pressure ratio is beta_p=0.5. Radius of Mercury is scaled down approximately by a factor of 2, so that R_M=21d0 where d0 is proton intertial length in unperturbed solar wind. Mercury's magnetic moment is scaled correspondingly to the scaling of Mercury's radius in such way that the stand-off distance of magnetopause is conserved. The dipole field is shifted by 0.2R_M towards north with respect to Mercury's center. |
ParametersGrid size: Nx=940, Ny=Nz=400; Time step: dt=0.01 in units of inversed proton gyrofrequency. Cell size: dx=0.019, dy=dz=0.0476 in units of Mercury's radius |
Simulation presets
|
Products in simulation
|
|
|
IMF-Equatorial-Planetward Hybrid simulation of Mercury's interaction with the solar wind under equatorial-planetward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF): B=(0.71,-0.71,0). Available products: B, Bx, By, Bz, Density, E, Ex, Ey, Ez, Ppar, Pperp, U, Ux, Uy, Uz |
||
CoordinatesCoordinate system is centered in Mercury's center and unit of length is Mercury's radius. Axis X is parallel to solar wind flow direction; axis Z is parallel to Mercury's dipole axis; axis Y completes right-handed system. |
Initial conditionsBackground plasma conditions correspond to solar wind of proton number density 15cm^-3 flowing at speed 450km.s^-1, with magnitude of IMF B0=20nT. Magnetic field is equatorial-planetward, B=(0.71,-0.71,0)B0. Under these conditions the plasma flow is super-Alfvenic, v=(4v_A,0,0), here v_A is proton Alfven velocity in unperturbed solar wind. Proton kinetic to magnetic pressure ratio is beta_p=0.5. Radius of Mercury is scaled down approximately by a factor of 2, so that R_M=21d0 where d0 is proton intertial length in unperturbed solar wind. Mercury's magnetic moment is scaled correspondingly to the scaling of Mercury's radius in such way that the stand-off distance of magnetopause is conserved. The dipole field is shifted by 0.2R_M towards north with respect to Mercury's center. |
ParametersGrid size: Nx=940, Ny=Nz=400; Time step: dt=0.01 in units of inversed proton gyrofrequency. Cell size: dx=0.019, dy=dz=0.0476 in units of Mercury's radius |
Simulation presets
|
Products in simulation
|
|
