scholarly journals Survey of radiation belt energetic electron pitch angle distributions based on the Van Allen Probes MagEIS measurements

2016 ◽  
Vol 121 (2) ◽  
pp. 1078-1090 ◽  
Author(s):  
Run Shi ◽  
Danny Summers ◽  
Binbin Ni ◽  
Joseph F. Fennell ◽  
J. Bernard Blake ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pitch Angle ◽  
Radiation Belt ◽  
Energetic Electron ◽  
Van Allen Probes

Substorm Injections as a Source of Relativistic Electrons in Earth’s Outer Radiation Belt

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Drew Turner ◽  
Ian Cohen ◽  
Kareem Sorathia ◽  
Sasha Ukhorskiy ◽  
Geoff Reeves ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Phase Space ◽  
Plasma Sheet ◽  
Radiation Belt ◽  
Energetic Electron ◽  
Local Source ◽  
Relativistic Electrons ◽  
Phase Space Density ◽  
Outer Radiation Belt ◽  
Space Density ◽  
Van Allen Probes

<p>Earth’s magnetotail plasma sheet plays a crucial role in the variability of Earth’s outer electron radiation belt. Typically, injections of energetic electrons from Earth’s magnetotail into the outer radiation belt and inner magnetosphere during periods of substorm activity are not observed exceeding ~300 keV.  Consistent with that, phase space density radial distributions of electrons typically indicate that for electrons below ~300 keV, there is a source of electrons in the plasma sheet while for electrons with energies above that, there is a local source within the outer radiation belt itself.  However, here we ask the question: is this always the case or can the plasma sheet provide a direct source of relativistic (> ~500 keV) electrons into Earth’s outer radiation belt via substorm injection? Using phase space density analysis for fixed values of electron first and second adiabatic invariants, we use energetic electron data from NASA’s Van Allen Probes and Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) missions during periods in which MMS observed energetic electron injections in the plasma sheet while Van Allen Probes concurrently observed injections into the outer radiation belt. We report on cases that indicate there was a sufficient source of up to >1 MeV electrons in the electron injections in the plasma sheet as observed by MMS, yet Van Allen Probes did not see those energies injected inside of geosynchronous orbit.  From global insight with recent test-particle simulations in global, dynamic magnetospheric fields, we offer an explanation for why the highest-energy electrons might not be able to inject into the outer belt even while the lower energy (< ~300 keV) electrons do. Two other intriguing points that we will discuss concerning these results are: i) what acceleration mechanism is capable of producing such abundance of relativistic electrons at such large radial distances (X-GSE < -10 RE) in Earth’s magnetotail? and ii) during what conditions (if any) might injections of relativistic electrons be able to penetrate into the outer belt?</p>

scholarly journals An Empirical Model of Radiation Belt Electron Pitch Angle Distributions Based On Van Allen Probes Measurements

2018 ◽  
Vol 123 (5) ◽  
pp. 3493-3511 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Zhao ◽  
R. H. W. Friedel ◽  
Y. Chen ◽  
G. D. Reeves ◽  
D. N. Baker ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Model ◽  
Pitch Angle ◽  
Radiation Belt ◽  
Van Allen Probes

Electron filling and proton loss in radiation belts and SAA during 2018 storm based on ZH-1 satellite observations

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhenxia Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Geomagnetic Storm ◽  
Radiation Belt ◽  
Electron Flux ◽  
Outer Boundary ◽  
Energetic Electron ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Radiation Belts ◽  
High Energy Particle ◽  
Van Allen Probes ◽  
Proton Loss

<p>Based on data from the ZH-1 satellites, companied with Van Allen Probes and NOAA observations, we analyze the high energy particle evolutions in radiation belts, slot region and SAA during August 2018 major geomagnetic storm (minimum Dst ≈ −190 nT). </p><p>  1) Relativistic electron enhancements in extremely low L-shell regions (reaching L ∼ 3) were observed during storm. Contrary to what occurs in the outer belt, such an intense and deep electron penetration event is rare and more interesting. Strong whistler-mode (chorus and hiss) waves, with amplitudes 81–126 pT, were also observed in the extremely low L-shell simultaneously (reaching L ∼ 2.5) where the plasmapause was suppressed. The bounce-averaged diffusion coefficient calculations support that the chorus waves can play a significantly important role in diffusing and accelerating the 1–3 MeV electrons even in such low L-shells during storms.</p><p>2) A robust evidence is clearly demonstrated that the energetic electron flux with energy 30∼600 keV are increased by 2∼3 times in the inner radiation belt near equator and SAA region on dayside during the major geomagnetic storm. This is the first time that the 100s keV electron flux enhancement is reported to be potentially induced by the interaction with magnetosonic waves in extremely low L-shells (L<2) observed by Van Allen Probes. Proton loss in outer boundary of inner radiation belt takes place in energy of 2~220 MeV extensively during the occurrence of this storm but the loss mechanism is energy dependence which is consistent with some previous studies. It is confirmed that the magnetic field line curvature scattering plays a significant role in the proton loss phenomenon in energy 30-100 MeV during this storm. This work provides a beneficial help to comprehensively understand the charged particles trapping and loss in SAA region and inner radiation belt dynamic physics.</p>

Energetic Electron Pitch Angle Distributions During the Cassini Final Orbits

2018 ◽  
Vol 45 (7) ◽  
pp. 2911-2917 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. F. Carbary ◽  
D. G. Mitchell ◽  
P. Kollmann ◽  
N. Krupp ◽  
E. Roussos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pitch Angle ◽  
Energetic Electron

Statistical study of the storm time radiation belt evolution during Van Allen Probes era: CME- versus CIR-driven storms

2017 ◽  
Vol 122 (8) ◽  
pp. 8327-8339 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiao-Chen Shen ◽  
Mary K. Hudson ◽  
Allison N. Jaynes ◽  
Quanqi Shi ◽  
Anmin Tian ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Radiation Belt ◽  
Statistical Study ◽  
Van Allen Probes

Effects of energy and pitch angle mixed diffusion on radiation belt electrons

2011 ◽  
Vol 73 (7-8) ◽  
pp. 785-795 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qiuhua Zheng ◽  
Mei-Ching Fok ◽  
Jay Albert ◽  
Richard B. Horne ◽  
Nigel P. Meredith
Keyword(s):  
Pitch Angle ◽  
Radiation Belt ◽  
Radiation Belt Electrons

scholarly journals Field-aligned chorus wave spectral power in Earth's outer radiation belt

2015 ◽  
Vol 33 (5) ◽  
pp. 583-597 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Breuillard ◽  
O. Agapitov ◽  
A. Artemyev ◽  
E. A. Kronberg ◽  
S. E. Haaland ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pitch Angle ◽  
Radiation Belt ◽  
Spectral Power ◽  
Peak Frequency ◽  
Wave Power ◽  
Outer Radiation Belt ◽  
Substantial Impact ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Frequency Variations ◽  
Chorus Wave

Abstract. Chorus-type whistler waves are one of the most intense electromagnetic waves generated naturally in the magnetosphere. These waves have a substantial impact on the radiation belt dynamics as they are thought to contribute to electron acceleration and losses into the ionosphere through resonant wave–particle interaction. Our study is devoted to the determination of chorus wave power distribution on frequency in a wide range of magnetic latitudes, from 0 to 40°. We use 10 years of magnetic and electric field wave power measured by STAFF-SA onboard Cluster spacecraft to model the initial (equatorial) chorus wave spectral power, as well as PEACE and RAPID measurements to model the properties of energetic electrons (~ 0.1–100 keV) in the outer radiation belt. The dependence of this distribution upon latitude obtained from Cluster STAFF-SA is then consistently reproduced along a certain L-shell range (4 ≤ L ≤ 6.5), employing WHAMP-based ray tracing simulations in hot plasma within a realistic inner magnetospheric model. We show here that, as latitude increases, the chorus peak frequency is globally shifted towards lower frequencies. Making use of our simulations, the peak frequency variations can be explained mostly in terms of wave damping and amplification, but also cross-L propagation. These results are in good agreement with previous studies of chorus wave spectral extent using data from different spacecraft (Cluster, POLAR and THEMIS). The chorus peak frequency variations are then employed to calculate the pitch angle and energy diffusion rates, resulting in more effective pitch angle electron scattering (electron lifetime is halved) but less effective acceleration. These peak frequency parameters can thus be used to improve the accuracy of diffusion coefficient calculations.

scholarly journals Multi-satellite simultaneous observations of magnetopause and atmospheric losses of radiation belt electrons during an intense solar wind dynamic pressure pulse

2016 ◽  
Vol 34 (5) ◽  
pp. 493-509 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zheng Xiang ◽  
Binbin Ni ◽  
Chen Zhou ◽  
Zhengyang Zou ◽  
Xudong Gu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Wind ◽  
Radiation Belt ◽  
Pressure Pulse ◽  
Electron Flux ◽  
Dynamic Pressure ◽  
Energetic Electron ◽  
Solar Wind Dynamic Pressure ◽  
Angle Scattering ◽  
Radiation Belt Electrons ◽  
Atmospheric Loss

<p><strong>Abstract.</strong> Radiation belt electron flux dropouts are a kind of drastic variation in the Earth's magnetosphere, understanding of which is of both scientific and societal importance. Using electron flux data from a group of 14 satellites, we report multi-satellite simultaneous observations of magnetopause and atmospheric losses of radiation belt electrons during an event of intense solar wind dynamic pressure pulse. When the pulse occurred, magnetopause and atmospheric loss could take effect concurrently contributing to the electron flux dropout. Losses through the magnetopause were observed to be efficient and significant at <i>L</i> ≳ 5, owing to the magnetopause intrusion into <i>L</i> ∼ 6 and outward radial diffusion associated with sharp negative gradient in electron phase space density. Losses to the atmosphere were directly identified from the precipitating electron flux observations, for which pitch angle scattering by plasma waves could be mainly responsible. While the convection and substorm injections strongly enhanced the energetic electron fluxes up to hundreds of keV, they could delay other than avoid the occurrence of electron flux dropout at these energies. It is demonstrated that the pulse-time radiation belt electron flux dropout depends strongly on the specific interplanetary and magnetospheric conditions and that losses through the magnetopause and to the atmosphere and enhancements of substorm injection play an essential role in combination, which should be incorporated as a whole into future simulations for comprehending the nature of radiation belt electron flux dropouts.</p>

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