Magnetospheric Magnetic Reconnection with Southward
IMF by a 3D EMPM Simulation

K.-I. Nishikawa (NASA), X. Y. Yan, D. S. Cai, and B. Lembege

We report our new simulation results on magnetospheric magnetic
reconnection with southward IMF using a 3D EMPM model,
with greater  resolution and more particles
using the parallelized 3D HPF TRISTAN code on VPP5000
supercomputer. Main parameters used in the new
simulation are: domain size is 215 x 145 x 145, grid size =
0.5 Earth radius, initial particle number is 16 per cell,
the IMF is southward.  Arrival of southward IMF will cause
reconnection in the magnetopause, thus allowing particles to
enter into the inner magnetosphere. Sunward and
tailward high particle flow are observed by satellites,
and these phenomena are also observed in the simulation
near the neutral line (X line) of the near-Earth
magnetotail. This high particle flow goes along with the
reconnected island. The magnetic reconnection process
contributes to direct plasma entry between the
magnetosheath to the inner magnetosphere and plasma
sheet, in which the entry process heats the magnetosheath
plasma to plasma sheet temperatures. We investigate
magnetic, electric fields, density, and current during this
magnetic reconnection with southward IMF. Further
investigation with this simulation will provide insight
into unsolved problems, such as the triggering of storms
and substorms, and the storm-substorm relationship. New
results will be presented at the meeting.