Laboratory facility for magnetospheric simulation

Abstract

The magnetospheric simulation facility at the University of California, Riverside (UCR) has been recently modified to improve scalings based on magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) theory. In this facility a magnetized plasma stream interacts with a downstream dipole magnetic field simulating the Earth's magnetosphere. Specific improvements include: higher stream‐flow velocity, increased plasma density, more intense background and dipole magnetic fields, and improved diagnostic capability. This paper briefly discusses MHD scaling requirements and measurements that are relevant to the laboratory simulation; including a set of time‐resolved, visible‐light images showing the evolution of the model magnetosphere.