Extracting the Magnetopause Standoff Distance from Soft X-ray Images: a Method Development for the Forthcoming SMILE Mission

Abstract:

Using global MHD simulations and software developed for the forthcoming SMILE mission, we create a set of soft X-ray images of the dayside magnetosheath and magnetospheric cusps for different solar wind conditions. We develop a method for magnetosphere masking assuming that the charge exchange soft X-rays resulting from the interaction between heavy solar wind ions and exospheric neutrals arise only in the magnetosheath and cusps, and to a lesser degree in the upstream solar wind. We analyze the simulated soft X-ray images and extract the information about the magnetopause standoff distance and flaring angle. We show that our predictions are consistent with results of MHD simulations. This method will be in demand by future imaging missions.