Numerical simulations of the ionospheric striation model in a non-uniform magnetic field

The striation model describes the evolution of plasma clouds along and across the geomagnetic field B in the earth ionosphere. The plasma clouds drift across the ionosphere in the presence of an ambient electric field and a neutral wind. In this article we introduce new techniques to extend the simulation tools to the earth magnetic field geometry. The model morevor allows a three dimensional representation of the plasma density evolution. The derivation of this model is recalled in the context of a non uniform magnetic field and involves a new set of local coordinates. A numerical scheme is proposed to solve the resulting system of nonlinear partial differential equations. Numerical simulations are realized and the striation of the initial plasma cloud into a cluster of smaller clouds is obtained. The present work allows the observation of the structures along the magnetic field lines. Supports by the ’Centre d’Etudes Scientifiques d’Aquitaine’ of the ’Commisariat à l’Energie Atomique’ and by the European network HYKE, funded by the EC as contract HPRN-CT-2002-00282 are gratefully acknowledged. Mathématiques pour l’Industrie et la Physique, CNRS UMR 5640, Université Paul Sabatier, 118 Route de Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse Cedex 4, France ([email protected]). Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique, Centre d’Etudes Scientifiques et Techniques d’Aquitaine, BP2, 33114 Le Barp, France ([email protected]). Mathématiques pour l’Industrie et la Physique ([email protected]). Mathématiques pour l’Industrie et la Physique ([email protected]). Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique ([email protected]). Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique ([email protected]).