Propagation of Pi2 pulsations through the braking region in global MHD simulations

With respect to typical observed values, the modeled conductances are high in the UCLA model and low in the LFM model. The different conductances affect the flows, producing stronger line tying that slows the flow in the braking region more in the UCLA model than in the LFM model. Therefore, perturbations are able to propagate much more freely into the inner magnetosphere in the LFM results.

However, in both models Pi2 period perturbations travel with the dipolarization front (DF) that forms at the earthward edge of the flow channel, but as the DF slows in the braking region, -8≤x≤-6 RE, the Pi2 period perturbations begin to travel ahead of it into the inner magnetosphere. This indicates that the flow channels generate compressional waves with periods that fall within the Pi2 range and that, as the flows themselves are stopped in the braking region, the compressional wave continues to propagate into the inner magnetosphere.