DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.13980997
title: Data of 3D PPMLR-MHD model Simulation for manuscript "Formation and Evolution of Nightside Transpolar arc and Its Relationship with Energetic Plasma in the Magnetotail Lobe"

description: Data of 3D PPMLR-MHD model Simulation for manuscript "Formation and Evolution of Nightside Transpolar arc and Its Relationship with Energetic Plasma in the Magnetotail Lobe"

These data come from a fully run of a 3D MHD Simulation model that is named PPMLR-MHD model (detailed descriptions below).

There are 2 types of data files:

1) X15dXXXX.mat is saved simulation parameters. 

2) Xing15XXXX_heatflux.mat is saved heat flux from simulation parameters. 

XXXX is the number of files, and files with the same serial number correspond to the same time.

 

The first type files of data include the following parameters:

time, x, y, z, logrho, Vx, Vy, Vz, Bx, By, Bz, Pr, Jx, Jy, Jz

Where, time is simulation time, which need to plus the start time to transfer them to universal time: time+16:00.

            (x,y,z) are the three components of the position of simulation point in GSM coordinates;

            logrho is the plasma density at the simulation point;

            (Vx, Vy,Vz) are the three components of plasma velocity at the simulation point in GSM coordinates;

           (Bx, By,Bz) are the three components of magnetic field at the simulation point in GSM coordinates;

            Pr is the plasma dynamic presure at the simulation point;

           (Jx, Jy,Jz) are the three components of plasma electric current at the simulation point in GSM coordinates;

    

The second type file of data includes the simulated heat flux along the magnetic field lines at the simulation point in GSM coordinates. 

PPMLR-MHD model

The PPMLR-MHD model is on the basis of an extension of the piecewise parabolic method (1) with a Lagrangian remap to magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) (2, 3). It is a three-dimensional MHD model, designed specially for the solar wind–magnetosphere–ionosphere system (4-6). The model possesses a high resolution in capturing MHD shocks and discontinuities and a low numerical dissipation in examining possible instabilities inherent in the system (4).

The model uses a Cartesian coordinate system with the Earth’s center at the origin and X, Y, and Z axes pointing towards the Sun, the dawn-dusk direction, and the north, respectively. The size of the numerical box extends from 25 RE to –100 RE along the Sun-Earth line and from –50 RE to 50 RE in Y and Z directions, with 240×240×240 grid points and a minimum grid spacing of 0.2 RE. An inner boundary of radius 3 RE is set for the magnetosphere to avoid the complexities associated with the plasmasphere and large MHD characteristic velocity from the strong magnetic field (6). An electrostatic ionosphere shell with height-integrated conductance is imbedded, allowing an electrostatic coupling process introduced between the ionosphere and the magnetospheric inner boundary. The Earth’s magnetic field is approximated by a dipole field with a dipole moment of 8.06×1022 A/m in magnitude. The model is run to solve the whole system by inputting the real interplanetary conditions for the current event.