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Magnetosphere MHD Models and Kinetic Models including Substorms and Radiation Belts (UCLA Model, Salammbo, FMI Model)

Several kinds of physical models (MHD, magnetosphere and ionosphere) have been developed, to help in the theoretical understanding of the flow of energy from the Sun through interplanetary space to the Earth's magnetosphere. Coupling all these models would give a good description of what the response could be of the magnetosphere to an interplanetary medium perturbation.

MHD Models (UCLA, U-Mich, FMI and others) are developed to reproduce cold plasma density and temperature everywhere in the magnetosphere (from the bow shock down to the plasmapause). They are useful in the understanding of the relationship between the solar wind and internal magnetosphere.

Ionospheric Models can be of two types:

  1. Electrodynamics (CETP, FMI)
  2. Fluid Models (CESR-CEPHAG)

Radiation Belt description (hot plasma) - two approaches:

  1. Single particle code (CESR-CETP, Aerospace, PSI) gives a good idea of particle transport.
  2. Diffusive Models (ONERA-DESP) give particle distribution everywhere (Earth's atmosphere - geostationary orbit).

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