Global-scale Simulation Of The Earth's Magnetosphere Using A Hybrid Code

It appears feasible to simulate dynamics of the Earth's magnetosphere on a global scale using a non-radiative electromagnetic hybrid code. In such a code the ions are fully kinetic, while the electrons are approximated as a cold, massless fluid. The code operates in the quasineutrality approximation. Such a code retains many of the important kinetic effects and effects which depend on a large ion/electron mass ratio. Such a code will be useful in understanding formation of the plasma sheet and in understanding the generation of electric fields that accelerate auroral electrons.