A set of MHD equations is developed for multiple ion species in the limit of small Larmor radius. The derivation proceeds to explicitly calculate the Lorentz force resulting from the small ion drift velocities. The net effect is that in this limit all the ions move perpendicular to the magnetic field with the same E×B speed, but are free-streaming relative to one another in the parallel direction. The ions couple one to another in the parallel direction from changes in the magnetic field direction, leading to a collision-like term that, however, maintains a constant total kinetic energy. The equations governing parallel (centrifugal) acceleration, which may be an important process for ionospheric outflow, are then derived. The dispersion relation for a two-species, isotropic fluid with arbitrary mass and charge fractions, as well as electron pressure, is derived and the resulting wave modes are analyzed. A planar Alfvén mode separates from other, generally compressible, modes. It becomes unstable when the ram pressure of the streaming exceeds the firehose limit. The remaining modes satisfy a sixth order equation in the phase speed when counterstreaming and electron pressure are allowed. Without counterstreaming, three stable modes always exist, with two counter-propagating waves each, regardless of the presence of electron pressure. For the streaming case there are three modes, with two asymmetrically propagating waves each, whose behavior can be quite complicated, especially near the firehose instability limit. An example global magnetosphere simulation of a geomagnetic storm is presented using the derived multifluid formalism.

The geospace plume, referring to the combined processes of the plasmaspheric and the ionospheric storm-enhanced density (SED)/total electron content (TEC) plumes, is one of the unique features of geomagnetic storms. The apparent spatial overlap and joint temporal evolution between the plasmaspheric plume and the equatorial mapping of the SED/TEC plume indicate strong magnetospheric-ionospheric coupling. However, a systematic modeling study of the factors contributing to geospace plume development has not yet been performed due to the lack of a sufficiently comprehensive model including all the relevant physical processes. In this paper, we present a numerical simulation of the geospace plume in the March 31, 2001 storm using the Multiscale Atmosphere Geospace Environment model. The simulation reproduces the observed linkage of the two plumes, which, we interpret as a result of both being driven by the electric field that maps between the magnetosphere and the ionosphere. The model predicts two velocity channels of sunward plasma drift at different latitudes in the dusk sector during the storm main phase, which are identified as the sub-auroral polarization stream (SAPS) and the convection return flow, respectively. The SAPS is responsible for the erosion of the plasmasphere plume and contributes to the ionospheric TEC depletion in the midlatitude trough region. We further find the spatial distributions of the magnetospheric ring current ions and electrons, determined by a delicate balance of the energy-dependent gradient/curvature drifts and the E´B drifts, are crucial to sustain the SAPS electric field that shapes the geospace plume throughout the storm main phase.

The role of diffuse electron precipitation in forming subauroral polarization streams (SAPS) is investigated with the Multiscale Atmosphere-Geospace Environment (MAGE) model. Diffuse precipitation is derived from the distribution of drifting electrons calculated in MAGE. SAPS manifest themselves as a separate mesoscale flow channel in the duskside ionosphere when diffuse precipitation is implemented in MAGE, whereas it merges with the primary auroral convection when diffuse precipitation is turned off. SAPS overlap with the downward Region-2 field-aligned currents equatorward of diffuse precipitation, where poleward electric fields closing the Pedersen currents are strong due to a low conductance in the subauroral ionosphere. The Region-2 field-aligned currents extend to lower latitudes than diffuse precipitation because the ring current protons penetrate closer to the Earth than the electrons do. This study demonstrates the critical role of diffuse electron precipitation in determining SAPS location and structure.