Magnetohydrodynamic model of the interaction of the solar wind with the Jovian magnetosphere and a magnetohydrodynamic simulation of the interaction of the solar wind with the out flowing plasma from a comet. Final report

A three-dimensional code for a rapidly rotating magnetosphere in which the MHD equations and the Maxwell equations were solved by using the two step Lax Endroff scheme, was developed. Preliminary results were presented at the Fall AGU meeting in San Francisco. The basic simulation model to study the solar wind interactions was adapted to other bodies in addition to Jupiter. Because of the recent comet flybys, a comet was chosen as the first model. The aim was to model the formation of the contact surface and the plasma tail. Later, work was begun on a three-dimensional model which would include the effects of mass loading. This model was designed to study the weak cometary bow shocks observed by the probes to comets Halley and Giacobini-Zinner. The model was successful in reproducing the position and shape of the bow shock which was determined by using observations from the Suisei spacecraft