Magnetospheric configuration for Parker-spiral IMF conditions: Results of a 3D AMR MHD simulation Original Research Article

The global configuration and topology of the terrestrial magnetosphere for typical IMF conditions is simulated with a new 3D MHD model using adaptive mesh refinement (AMR). The paper briefly describes the main elements of the solution method and presents a steady-state solution for nominal Parker-spiral IMF conditions. The simulated magnetic field topology in the magnetotail is in excellent agreement with the recent empirical model derived from four years of IMP 8 observations (Kaymaz and Siscoe, 1998).