SOLAR WIND PRESSURE AND THE POSITION OF THE MAGNETOPAUSE:A CLUSTER PERSPECTIVE

摘要

Applying empirical reconstruction techniques to Clusterrndata allows to determine the varying position of the magnetosphericrnboundary continuously for time intervals ofrnseveral hours. It has therefore become possible to examinernthe influence of solar wind pressure on the positionrnof the magnetospheric boundary in more detail. In particular,rnone can examine the continuous correlation betweenrnsolar wind pressure and the position and motionrnof the boundary during such a long time interval, ratherrnthan correlating discrete values of solar wind pressurernand boundary location that correspond to individual magnetopauserntraversals, as has been done in the past. We discussrnan event study to highlight the degree of solar windrnram pressure control over the magnetopause position.