Plasma sheet injections into the inner magnetosphere: Two‐way coupled OpenGGCM‐RCM model results

Plasma sheet injections associated with low flux tube entropy bubbles have been found to be the primary means of mass transport from the plasma sheet to the inner magnetosphere. This phenomenon has been primarily studied with satellite data and stand‐alone ring current models with artificial boundary conditions. This study introduces a new two‐way coupling between a kinetic ring current model (Rice Convection Model, or RCM) and a global magnetosphere MHD model (Open Geospace General Circulation Model, or OpenGGCM). Multiple geomagnetic storms and one period of quiet are modeled to track and characterize inward flow behavior. Simulations show that (1) there is a clear association of plasma sheet injections with bubbles, (2) the majority of inward plasma transport in the magnetotail beyond 6.6 R E is due to bubbles, regardless of storm activity, and (3) the average peak velocity of injections is higher for increasing downtail distances, stronger storms (when compared with storms having similar drivers), and storms driven by corotating interaction regions (when compared with coronal mass ejection‐driven storms of similar strength).