Modeling of ion dynamics in the inner geospace during enhanced magnetospheric activity

Abstract

Abstract. We investigate the effect of magnetic disturbances on the ring current buildup and the dynamics of the current systems in the inner geospace by means of numerical simulations of ion orbits during enhanced magnetospheric activity. For this purpose, we developed a particle-tracing model that solves for the ion motion in a dynamic geomagnetic field and an electric field due to convection, corotation and Faraday induction and which mimics reconfigurations typical to such events. The kinematic data of the test particles is used for analyzing the dependence of the system on the initial conditions, as well as for mapping the different ion species to the magnetospheric currents. Furthermore, an estimation of Dst is given in terms of the ensemble-averaged ring and tail currents. The presented model may serve as a tool in a Sun-to-Earth modeling chain of major solar eruptions, providing an estimation of the inner geospace response.