3D Multi‐Fluid MHD Simulation of the Early Time Behavior and Cross‐Field Propagation of an Artificial Plasma Cloud in the Bottom Side Ionosphere

Abstract

AbstractThe relative motion of an artificial plasma stream in an ambient plasma background transverse to the geomagnetic field produces a polarization current and an drift in the direction of the injected photoionized neutral cloud. The polarization current couples the ion cloud momentum to the ambient plasma causing the stream to brake or “skid” before coming to rest. A multi‐fluid five‐moment resistive magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) model has been previously developed and is used in this study to simulate an artificial barium cloud released at 8 km/s in the lower ionosphere transverse to the magnetic field. The MHD model’s governing equations are used to derive 2D analytical solutions to the equations of motion that capture oscillatory behavior relating the cloud ion cyclotron frequency, artificial and ambient plasma density, initial release velocity, and photoionization rate. The analytical solutions are compared to the MHD results for time t < 1 s and previous 1D momentum coupling models. It is shown that motion in the cloud release direction is consistent with previous models while motion in the polarization direction is consistent with numerical results.