3D Global Simulation of the Interaction of Interplanetary Shocks with the Magnetosphere

Using the recently developed PPMLR-MHD code, we present 3D global simulation of the interaction of the interplanetary (IP) shock with the magnetosphere with emphasis on the the effect of shock orientation. We investigate its impact on the sudden commencement (SC) of geomagnetic storms and the magnetospheric responses. Generally speaking, a highly oblique shock causes asymmetric compression of the magnetosphere with respect to the noon-midnight meridian, and requires more time to compress the forward part of the magnetosphere, which producing longer rise time of SC. Even if the solar wind dynamic pressure changed similarly at a solar wind monitor, the responses of the magnetosphere could vary depending on the orientation of the causative IP shock. The effect of the shock orientation is of great help to understand space weather processes.