Sensitivity of the Martian Magnetotail to Model Configuration Choices in Multispecies MHD Simulations
- 1Applied Physics Program University of Michigan Ann Arbor MI USA
- 2Department of Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering University of Michigan Ann Arbor MI USA
- 3Department of Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences University of California Los Angeles CA USA
Abstract
Numerical modeling has been a key component in the study of the Mars space environment, providing a comprehensive global representation that is not always easy to obtain in spacecraft measurements. However, there are inconsistencies in data‐model and model‐model comparisons, regardless of whether the simulation conditions are identical or idealized. We conduct a multispecies MHD case study using a baseline configuration of standard settings, modifying one parameter at a time to examine how the inputs change the structure of the Mars magnetotail current sheet. A total of nine parameters are changed, and our results examine the differences in the magnetic field and total current density. Notable discrepancies in the case study include the grid structure and grid resolution. The use of a generalized or logarithmic grid changes the strength and bifurcation of the magnetotail current sheet. High radial and angular resolution causes the magnetotail current sheet to fluctuate, but including it in simulations allows users to also implement inner boundary and global refinement in the simulation. The baseline configuration established in this investigation will serve as a foundation for future preliminary data‐model comparison with MAVEN observations.
Related
- Penetrating Solar Wind Protons Drive Asymmetric Acceleration of Oxygen Ions in the Martian Magnetotail Current Sheet
- Beam-driven Evaporation in 2.5D Flare Simulations with an Asymmetric Magnetic Field Configuration
- Structure of energy flux densities in Earth's magnetotail reconnection regions: Bridging simulation and observation
- Magnetotail Flapping Event at Mars: A Simultaneous View from MAVEN and InSight
- Solar wind interaction with the Martian magnetosphere under a radial interplanetary magnetic field black in the subsolar region
BibTeX
@article{quartey2026sensitivity,
title = {{Sensitivity of the Martian Magnetotail to Model Configuration Choices in Multispecies MHD Simulations}},
author = {Nii‐Boi A. Quartey and Michael W. Liemohn and Wenyi Sun and Yingjuan Ma},
journal = {Earth and Space Science},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.1029/2026ea005147},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1029/2026ea005147},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Sensitivity of the Martian Magnetotail to Model Configuration Choices in Multispecies MHD Simulations
AU - Nii‐Boi A. Quartey
AU - Michael W. Liemohn
AU - Wenyi Sun
AU - Yingjuan Ma
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/01
JO - Earth and Space Science
DO - 10.1029/2026ea005147
UR - https://doi.org/10.1029/2026ea005147
AB - Numerical modeling has been a key component in the study of the Mars space environment, providing a comprehensive global representation that is not always easy to obtain in spacecraft measurements. However, there are inconsistencies in data‐model and model‐model comparisons, regardless of whether the simulation conditions are identical or idealized. We conduct a multispecies MHD case study using a baseline configuration of standard settings, modifying one parameter at a time to examine how the inputs change the structure of the Mars magnetotail current sheet. A total of nine parameters are changed, and our results examine the differences in the magnetic field and total current density. Notable discrepancies in the case study include the grid structure and grid resolution. The use of a generalized or logarithmic grid changes the strength and bifurcation of the magnetotail current sheet. High radial and angular resolution causes the magnetotail current sheet to fluctuate, but including it in simulations allows users to also implement inner boundary and global refinement in the simulation. The baseline configuration established in this investigation will serve as a foundation for future preliminary data‐model comparison with MAVEN observations.
SN - 2333-5084
ER -