Cusp Model using real time data
Cusp modeling to support the DXL Sounding Rocket launch from Wallops Flight Facility.
Figure 1 shows the solar wind parameters for 2 hour interval from DSCOVR spacecraft and Figure 2 shows the data from ACE spacecraft. The real-time data from DSCOVR can be found at this link for the magnetic field and at this link for various plasma parameters like density and solar wind bulk speed. For ACE, magnetic field data can be found here and plasma parameters can be accessed at this link.
For Figures 1 and 2, the first panel shows different components of the magnetic field (x-component in red and y- and z-component in blue and green color respectively) in GSM coordinate system and its magnitude (in black dash-dot line). The second and third panel shows the proton number density and bulk speed. Proton flux, computed as Flux = np * vp where np and vp are the proton density and bulk velocity respectively. The fifth panel of both the figures show low-altitude particle cusp latitude corresponding to four different solar wind coupling functions. For more details on the coupling functions and their mathematical representation, please refer to Newell et. al., 2006. Please note that the computation of cusp latitude includes the correction introduced because of dipole tilt angle. The gray colored band (of 10 minutes in width) corresponds to the parameter of the solar wind that has just reached the magnetosphere assuming 35 minutes of propagation time delay between the spacecraft position and the Earth’s magnetosphere. Both these figures are updated every 60 seconds.
Figure 3 and 4 shows the same parameters as those of Figure 1 from DSCOVR spacecraft, though they have been plotted for longer duration, though at much lower cadence (1 hour). Figure 3 is for 1 day whereas Figure 4 displays data for 7 days. For both these figures’ panels 2, 3 and 4 the semi-transparent lines is the data at original cadence (1 minute).
Figure 5 shows the real-time terrestrial magnetic fields based on model developed by Tsyganenko, 1996. The model uses solar wind parameters like dynamic pressure, y- and z-component of the magnetic field and the dipole tilt of the earth to compute the magnetic field in a given region. In the figure the sun is to the left, the black circle is the Earth, and the lines show Earth’s extended magnetic field lines in GSM coordinate system. Figure 3 is updated every 15 minutes to reflect the most recent changes in the magnetic field due to varying solar wind conditions.
Figure 1. Solar wind parameters as observed by DSCOVR spacecraft
Figure 2. Solar wind parameters as observed by ACE spacecraft
Figure 3. 1 Day hourly averaged Solar wind parameters as observed by DSCOVR spacecraft
Figure 4. 1 Day hourly averaged Solar wind parameters as observed by ACE spacecraft
Figure 5. 7 Days hourly averaged Solar wind parameters as observed by DSCOVR spacecraft
Figure 6. 54 Days hourly averaged Solar wind parameters as observed by DSCOVR spacecraft
Figure 7. Real-time plot of magnetic field from Tsyganenko-1996 (T-96) model
The code for generating Figures 1 to 8 can be accessed from the GitHub repository.
