Flux transfer events in global numerical simulations of the magnetosphere

[1] A magnetohydrodynamic numerical simulation model is used to study nonsteady features of magnetic reconnection between southward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) and the geomagnetic field. The magnetic field near the dayside magnetopause intermittently shows the bipolar normal magnetic field and field-aligned flow features that are similar to the observed flux transfer events. The results show that the magnetic signature extends outward into the magnetosheath and inward into the magnetosphere. The magnetic features are not steady, and they evolve as they propagate along the magnetopause. Magnetic field lines are traced from the magnetopause in order to show the connectivity of the field from the ionosphere to the solar wind. The results shown are consistent with Russell and Elphic's [1978] interpretation of the magnetic signals as evidence of nonsteady reconnection between the IMF and the geomagnetic field. Finally, we suggest a merging mechanism along the dayside magnetic null-null line that naturally leads to the observed magnetic structure.