Three Dimensional Computer Modeling of Magnetospheric Substorm

Magnetospheic substorm in the magnetotail region is studied numerically by means of a three dimensional MHD code. The analytic solution for the quiet magnetotail is employed as an initial configuration. The localized solar wind is modeled to enter the simulation domain through the boundaries located in the magnetotail lobe region. As a result of the interaction between the solar wind and the magnetosphere, the magnetic field lines are stretched, and the plasma sheet becomes thinner and thinner. When the current driven resistivity is generated, magnetic reconnection is triggered by this resistivity. The resulting plasma jetting is found to be super-magnetosonic. Although the plasmoid formation and its tailward motion is not quite clear as in the two dimensional simulation, which is mainly because of the numerical model chosen for the present simulation, the rarification of the plasmas near the x-point is observed. Field aligned currents are observed in the late expansive stage of the magnetospheric substorm. These field aligned currents flow from the tail toward the ionosphere on the dawn side from the ionosphere to ward the tail on the dusk side, namely in the same sense of the region 1 current. As the field aligned currents develop, it is found that the cross tail current in the earth side midnight section of the magnetic x-point is reduced.