Abstract Details


Name: Amar Deep
Affiliation: IIT Indore
Conference ID: TVS202510232
Title: A Comparative Analysis of Earth’s Magnetopause Response During the Mother’s Day Storm Based on Multi-Satellite Data
Authors and Co-Authors: Prof.Abhirup Datta, Bhuvnesh Brawar, Keshav Aggrawal
Abstract Type: Contributory Presentation
Abstract: On 10–11 May, Earth experienced a major geomagnetic storm that ranked as the third-largest storm among recorded space weather events in recent decades. The storm was driven by a series of multiple coronal mass ejections (CMEs) originating from the highly active coronal region AR 13664. These CMEs interacted and merged during their propagation through interplanetary space, which significantly enhanced their geoeffectiveness. Upon arrival at Earth, the merged CMEs compressed the magnetosphere and triggered a G5-level geomagnetic storm, the most severe category on the NOAA geomagnetic storm scale.To investigate the dynamics of this extreme event, we performed a detailed analysis of the magnetopause structure and motion. Specifically, we applied the Minimum Variance Analysis (MVA) method to identify the precise times of magnetopause crossings, which are crucial for determining boundary orientation and dynamics. In addition, the Hoffmann–Teller (HT) technique was employed to calculate the magnetopause width and the corresponding HT frame velocity, providing insights into the plasma flow relative to the boundary.Multi-satellite datasets played a central role in this study. Observations from spacecraft positioned near the magnetopause allowed us to capture temporal and spatial variations in both the position and thickness of the boundary. During the peak of the storm, the closest approach of the magnetopause was recorded at 6.61 RE by GOES-18 and GOES-16, indicating an extreme compression of the dayside magnetopause far inside its nominal position (~10–11 RE under quiet conditions). Meanwhile, THEMIS spacecraft observations revealed a magnetopause thickness of ~2279 km, demonstrating that not only the position but also the internal structure of the boundary underwent significant modification.For validation and broader context, we also compared the observational results with outputs from the Community Coordinated Modeling Center (CCMC) simulations and established empirical models of magnetopause location. These models confirmed the unusually strong compression of the magnetopause nose, in agreement with the satellite data. Overall, these findings highlight how extreme space weather conditions can dramatically reshape the magnetopause position and structure, with critical implications for magnetospheric dynamics, space weather forecasting, and satellite operations. The results also underscore the importance of multi-satellite observations combined with modeling approaches in advancing our understanding of magnetospheric responses during severe geomagnetic storms.