RESEARCH OF MERCURY’S MAGNETOSPHERE USING A GLOBAL THREE-DIMENSIONAL HYBRID MODEL
We used a global three-dimensional hybrid model to simulate and study the characteristics of Mercury's magnetosphere under southward and northward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) conditions. Through a comparative analysis, the differences in the morphology of the planet’s magnetosphere between these two IMF orientations were closely examined, including the position of the magnetopause and the characteristics of magnetotail reconnection. We further compared our simulated results with observations regarding the current systems in Mercury's magnetosphere, with a particular focus on the morphology of the eastward currents in the magnetotail. Lastly, we attempted to explore the relationship between the dawn-dusk asymmetry of Mercury's magnetosphere and the ion dynamics in the planet’s plasma environment.
Additional information: Prof. Zhonghua Yao, yaozh@hku.hk