Modeling the ring current response to a sawtooth oscillation event

Inner magnetospheric modeling results for a global sawtooth oscillation event (that of April 18, 2002) are presented. Comparisons are made against Dst* and energetic neutral atom images of the hot ions in the inner magnetosphere to elucidate the ring current response. Several interesting findings emerge from the analysis. The model cannot reproduce the depth of the Dst* perturbation, but the ENA comparisons are quite good. Several explanations for this discrepancy are postulated. This study highlights the challenge presented to modelers by the phenomena known as global sawtooth oscillations.