Recent Advances in Ionosphere-Magnetosphere Mass Coupling in Global Models

Global magnetohydrodynamic models are valuable tools for investigating the magnetospheric system. However, for many years, they have neglected a dynamic, causal, ionospheric source of light and heavy ions. Numerous observations have demonstrated the importance of this source, especially during active periods. The omission of an ionospheric source represents a demonstrable contradiction with observable reality. Recent work by MHD modelers has rectified this shortcoming. Results of simulations that include ionospheric outflow demonstrate that this source doesn’t merely add additional mass to the system, but affects nearly every aspect of solar-magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling. This paper presents recent MHD simulations using driven ionospheric outflow. The impacts on the magnetosphere and on magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling are analyzed and quantified. It is found that outflow of ionospheric plasma is tightly coupled to the non-linear global system