Massive multi-missions statistical study and analytical modeling of the
Earth magnetopause: 3- An asymmetric non indented magnetopause
analytical model
Abstract
In a companion statistical study, we showed that the expression of the
magnetopause surface as a power law of an elliptic function of the
zenith angle θ holds at lunar distances, that the flaring of the
magnetopause surface is influenced by the Interplanetary Magnetic Field
(IMF) By component and that the IMF Bx component had no influence on the
stand-off distance. As a follow-up to these statistical results, this
paper presents a new empirical analytical asymmetric and non-indented
model of the magnetopause location and shape. This model is obtained
from fitting of 15 349 magnetopause crossings using 17 different
spacecraft and is parametrized by the upstream solar wind dynamic and
magnetic pressures, the IMF clock angle and the Earth dipole tilt angle.
The constructed model provides a more accurate prediction of the
magnetopause surface location than current Magnetopause surface models,
especially on the night side of the magnetosphere.