Indicators of an increase in the flux of relativistic electrons in geostationary orbit during geomagnetic storms

The relation of the fluxes of relativistic electrons in geostationary orbit during magnetic storms to the state of the magnetosphere and variations in the solar wind parameters is studied based on the GOES satellite data (1996–2000). It has been established that, in ～52–65% of all storms, the fluxes of electrons with energies higher than 0.6 and 2 MeV during the storm recovery phase are more than twice as high as the electron fluxes before a storm. It has been indicated that the probability of such cases is closely related to the prestorm level of fluxes and to a decrease in fluxes during the storm main phase. It has been found that the solar wind velocity on the day of the storm main phase and the geomagnetic activity indices at the beginning of the storm recovery phase are also among the best indicators of occurrence of storms with increased fluxes at the storm recovery phase.     

The relation between geomagnetic pulsations and an increase in the fluxes of geosynchronous relativistic electrons during geomagnetic storms

The dynamics of the Pc5 and Pi1 pulsation characteristics and relativistic electron fluxes at geostationary orbit were comparatively analyzed for three nine-day intervals, including quiet periods and periods of geomagnetic storms. It was shown that relativistic electron fluxes increase considerably when the power of global Pc5 pulsations and the index of midlatitude irregular Pi1 pulsations increase simultaneously. The correlation between the characteristics of Pi1 and Pc5 geomagnetic pulsations and the level of the relativistic electron flux at geostationary orbit during the magnetic storm recovery phase were studied. It was shown that the correlation coefficient of the relativistic electron maximal fluxes during the magnetic storm recovery phase with the parameter of midlatitude Pi1 pulsations is slightly higher than such a correlation coefficient with the solar wind velocity.     

Magnetic storms and their effects in the lower ionosphere: Differences in storms of various types

During magnetic storms (MS’s) in the ionospheric D region, changes in the electron density and corresponding effects on radiowave propagation are observed. The differences in manifestations of MS’s in the lower ionosphere are mainly caused by the time and spatial differences in precipitations of energetic electrons. It is shown that the observed differences in the effects of storms in the D region are related to the differences in the corresponding types of MS’s determined by the observed fluxes of energetic electrons (E ∼ 0.1–2 MeV) at L ≈ 3–8. The storm types are identified by changes in the geomagnetic ap and AE indices and the ap/Dst and AE/Dst ratios during the recovery phase of a storm.     

Relativistic electron enhancements,magnetic storms,and substorm activity

The relativistic electron fluxes of the Earth's outer radiation belt are subjected to strong temporal variations. The most prominent changes are initiated by fast solar wind streams impinging upon the magnetosphere, which often also cause enhanced substorm activity and magnetic storms. Using 4 years of data from the particle detector REM aboard the UK satellite Strv-1b in a GTO, we investigated the relation between these different appearances of geomagnetic activity. A typical sequence is that there is a drop in the relativistic electron intensity during the main phase of the magnetic storm and a successive enhancement during the recovery phase which sometimes leads to much higher than pre-storm fluxes. Whereas the flux drop is well correlated with the magnetic storm intensity and is mainly due to the deceleration and loss of particles caused by the ring-current-induced magnetic field changes, there is only a bad correlation between the post-storm electron flux and Dst. As we show here, it is much more the level of substorm activity during the whole event which determines the size of the flux enhancements.     

Correlations between SAR arc intensity and solar and geomagnetic activity

We present a study of statistical relationships between SAR arc intensities acquired by the Pacific Northwest Laboratory Photometer Network during 1978–1988 and solar and geomagnetic activity indices Dst, F10.7, and Kp by use of the method of multiple regression analysis. We found significant correlations between intensity and all of the indices involved. In the present work we show for the first time that the partial correlation coefficients depend on the time offset, t, between the time of SAR arc intensity observations and the onset of the geomagnetic storm recovery phase, with the largest correlations being observed when 8 d t d 16 h. It is also shown that there are significant differences between partial correlation coefficients calculated for SAR arcs associated with strong (Dst_min > −100 nT) and weak (Dst_min > −100 nT) geomagnetic storms. We observe also that the multiple correlation coefficients for strong storms are much larger than for weak ones. We found that the variations in the electron temperature, T_e, in the SAR arc region are not mainly produced by variations in the electron density of the ionosphere but are strongly driven by the additional heating of the electron gas due to an interaction of the ring current ions and the plasmaspheric electrons. As a result, variations of T_e in the SAR arc region with characteristic time scales from several minutes to several hours are stipulated by time variations of ring current parameters.     

行星际扰动和地磁活动对GEO相对论电子影响

利用1988—2010年小时平均的GOES卫星数据,对地球同步轨道(GEO)相对论电子变化进行了统计分析,研究了相对论电子通量(Fe)增强事件的发展过程,探讨了利于相对论电子通量增强的太阳风和地磁活动条件.主要结论如下:(1)GEO相对论电子通量即使是峰值,也具有明显的地方时特性,最大电子通量出现在磁正午时.午/夜电子通量比率随着太阳风速度(Vsw)增加而增大;在Dst-50nT时相对论电子具有规则的地方时变化.在太阳活动下降相,电子通量与各参数的相关性较好,与其相关性最好的Vsw、Kp指数以及三次根号下的太阳风密度(N)分别出现在电子通量前39~57h、57~80h和12~24h.(2)强(日平均电子通量峰值Femax≥104 pfu)相对论电子事件,在距离太阳活动谷年前两年左右和春秋分期间发生率最高,较弱(104Femax≥103 pfu)事件无此特点;大部分强相对论电子事件中,电子通量在磁暴主相开始增加,较弱事件中则在恢复相开始回升.(3)太阳风密度变化对相对论电子事件的发展具有重要指示作用.电子通量在太阳风密度极大值后0~1天达到极小值,太阳风密度极小值后0~2天达到极大值.(4)90%以上相对论电子事件是在磁暴及高速太阳风的条件下发生的,与其伴随的行星际参数和地磁活动指数极值满足以下条件:Vswmax516km/s,Dstmin-31nT,Nmin2.8cm-3,Nmax14.1cm-3,Bzmin-2.9nT,AEmax698nT.(5)磁暴过程中,Dstmin后日平均电子通量大于103 pfu的发生概率为53%左右,强/弱相对论电子事件占总数比例分别为36%/64%左右,磁暴强度对其无影响.磁暴过程中的Vsw、N和AE指数大小对于能否引起相对论电子增强起着指示作用.     

Estimation of storm-time level of day-side wave geomagnetic activity using a new <Emphasis Type="Italic">ULF</Emphasis> index

The level of wave geomagnetic activity in the morning and daytime sectors of auroral latitudes during strong magnetic storms with Dst _min varying from ?100 to ?150 nT in 1995–2002 have been studied using a new ULF index of wave activity proposed in [Kozyreva et al., 2007]. It has been detected that daytime Pc5 pulsations (2–6 mHz) are most intense during the main phase of a magnetic storm rather than during the recovery phase as was considered previously. It has been indicated that morning geomagnetic pulsations during the substorm recovery phase mainly contribute to daytime wave activity. The appearance of individual intervals with the southward IMF B _z component during the magnetic storm recovery phase results in increases in the ULF index values.     

Dependence of geomagnetic activity during magnetic storms on the solar wind parameters for different types of streams

The dependence of the maximal values of the |Dst| and AE geomagnetic indices observed during magnetic storms on the value of the interplanetary electric field (E _y ) was studied based on the catalog of the large-scale solar wind types created using the OMNI database for 1976–2000 [Yermolaev et al., 2009]. An analysis was performed for eight categories of magnetic storms caused by different types of solar wind streams: corotating interaction regions (CIR, 86 storms); magnetic clouds (MC, 43); Sheath before MCs (Sh_MC, 8); Ejecta (95); Sheath (Sh_E, 56); all ICME events (MC + Ejecta, 138); all compression regions Sheaths before MCs and Ejecta (Sh_MC + Sh_E, 64); and an indeterminate type of storm (IND, 75). It was shown that the |Dst| index value increases with increasing electric field E _y for all eight types of streams. When electric fields are strong (E _y > 11 mV m⁻¹), the |Dst| index value becomes saturated within magnetic clouds MCs and possibly within all ICMEs (MC + Ejecta). The AE index value during magnetic storms is independent of the electric field value E _y for almost all streams except magnetic clouds MCs and possibly the compressed (Sheath) region before them (Sh_MC). The AE index linearly increases within MC at small values of the electric field (E _y < 11 mV m⁻¹) and decrease when these fields are strong (E _y > 11 mV m⁻¹). Since the dynamic pressure (Pd) and IMF fluctuations (σB) correlate with the E _y value in all solar wind types, both geomagnetic indices (|Dst| and AE) do not show an additional dependence on Pd and IMF δB. The nonlinear relationship between the intensities of the |Dst| and AE indices and the electric field E _y component, observed within MCs and possibly all ICMEs during strong electric fields E _y , agrees with modeling the magnetospheric-ionospheric current system of zone 1 under the conditions of the polar cap potential saturation.     

Resonant enhancement of relativistic electron fluxes during geomagnetically active periods

The strong increase in the flux of relativistic electrons during the recovery phase of magnetic storms and during other active periods is investigated with the help of Hamiltonian formalism and simulations of test electrons which interact with whistler waves. The intensity of the whistler waves is enhanced significantly due to injection of 10–100 keV electrons during the substorm. Electrons which drift in the gradient and curvature of the magnetic field generate the rising tones of VLF whistler chorus. The seed population of relativistic electrons which bounce along the inhomogeneous magnetic field, interacts resonantly with the whistler waves. Whistler wave propagating obliquely to the magnetic field can interact with energetic electrons through Landau, cyclotron, and higher harmonic resonant interactions when the Doppler-shifted wave frequency equals any (positive or negative) integer multiple of the local relativistic gyrofrequency. Because the gyroradius of a relativistic electron may be the order of or greater than the perpendicular wavelength, numerous cyclotron, harmonics can contribute to the resonant interaction which breaks down the adiabatic invariant. A similar process diffuses the pitch angle leading to electron precipitation. The irreversible changes in the adiabatic invariant depend on the relative phase between the wave and the electron, and successive resonant interactions result in electrons undergoing a random walk in energy and pitch angle. This resonant process may contribute to the 10–100 fold increase of the relativistic electron flux in the outer radiation belt, and constitute an interesting relation between substorm-generated waves and enhancements in fluxes of relativistic electrons during geomagnetic storms and other active periods.     

High-latitude geomagnetic disturbances during the initial phase of a recurrent magnetic storm (from February 27 to March 2, 2008)

A complex of geophysical phenomena (geomagnetic pulsations in different frequency ranges, VLF emissions, riometer absorption, and auroras) during the initial phase of a small recurrent magnetic storm that occurred on February 27–March 2, 2008, at a solar activity minimum has been analyzed. The difference between this storm and other typical magnetic storms consisted in that its initial phase developed under a prolonged period of negative IMF B _z values, and the most intense wave-like disturbances during the storm initial phase were observed in the dusk and nighttime magnetospheric sectors rather than in the daytime sector as is observed in the majority of cases. The passage of a dense transient (with N _p reaching 30 cm⁻³) in the solar wind under the southward IMF in the sheath region of the high-speed solar wind stream responsible for the discussed storm caused a great (the AE index is ∼1250 nT) magnetospheric substorm. The appearance of VLF chorus, accompanied by riometer absorption bursts and Pc5 pulsations, in a very long longitudinal interval of auroral latitudes (L ∼ 5) from premidnight to dawn MLT hours has been detected. It has been concluded that a sharp increase in the solar wind dynamic pressure under prolonged negative values of IMF B _z resulted in the global (in longitude) development of electron cyclotron instability in the Earth’s magnetosphere.     

Correlation between the Earth’s outer radiation belt dynamics and solar wind parameters at the solar minimum according to EMP instrument data onboard the CORONAS-Photon satellite

The study of variations in the electron flux in the outer Earth radiation belt (ERB) and their correlations with solar processes is one of the important problems in the experiment with the Electron-M-Peska instrument onboard the CORONAS-Photon solar observatory. Data on relativistic and subrelativistic electron fluxes obtained by the Electron-M-Peska in 2009 have been used to study the outer ERB dynamics at the solar minimum. Increases in outer ERB relativistic electron fluxes, observed at an height of 550 km after weak magnetic disturbances induced by high-velocity solar wind arriving to the Earth, have been analyzed. The geomagnetic disturbances induced by the high-velocity solar wind and that resulted in electron flux variations were insignificant: there were no considerable storms and substorms during that period; however, several polar ground-based stations observed an increase in wave activity. An assumption has been made that the wave activity caused the variations in relativistic electron fluxes.     

Diagnostics of the magnetosphere based on the outer belt relativistic electrons and penetration of solar protons: A review

The present-day state of the studies of the outer radiation belt relativistic electrons and the boundary of the solar proton penetration into the magnetosphere during magnetic storms is briefly reviewed. The main attention is paid to the results from studying the interrelation between these structural formations and other magnetospheric plasma structures. It has been indicated that the relationship between the position of the maximum of belt of relativistic electrons injected during magnetic storms (L _max) and the magnetic storm amplitude (|Dst|_max = 2.75 × 10⁴/L _max⁴) can be used to predict the extreme latitudinal position of such magnetospheric plasma formations as a trapped radiation region boundary, the nighttime equatorial boundary of the auroral oval, and westward electrojet center during a storm. Using the examples of still rare studies of the solar proton boundary dynamics in the magnetosphere based on the simultaneous measurements on several polar satellites, it has been demonstrated that a change in the geomagnetic field topology during magnetic storms can be diagnosed.     

利用地磁脉动预报地球同步轨道相对论电子通量的方法研究

本文利用低纬地磁台站的Pi1、Pi2地磁脉动（Pi1-2）资料和地球同步轨道的Pc5地磁脉动资料,对2004年1月到2006年12月38个磁暴事件的地磁脉动参数进行了统计分析.在此基础上,考虑相对论电子的局部加速机制,并加入损失机制,建立了一个初步的磁暴期间地球同步轨道相对论电子通量对数值的预报模型.利用该模型,我们对上述38个磁暴事件进行预报试验,最优化结果是：相对论电子通量对数值的预测值和观测值之间的线性相关系数为0.82,预报效率为0.67.这说明该模式具有较好的预报效果,也表明利用地磁脉动参数进行相对论电子通量预报是可行的.     

Studying ionospheric responses to magnetic storms depending on the local time of the storm main phase onset

A morphological analysis of vertical sounding data obtained in Irkutsk from 2003 to 2008 has been performed. The AE index was used to determine the geomagnetic activity level, and the storm main phase onset was registered based on the D _st index. The ionospheric response to a magnetic storm was estimated based on the relative deviation of the critical frequency and altitude of the ionospheric F2 region from the median values. Superstrong magnetic storms and storms without positive initial phases were not considered when the data were selected. We found that positive ionospheric disturbances, which were accompanied by an increase in the F2 region maximum altitude, predominated between the storm initial phase and main phases during all considered magnetic storms. Between these storm phases, negative disturbances were only registered at night. Predominance of positive ionospheric disturbances over negative ones can be related to the selection of storms for studies.     

Outer radiation belt of relativistic electrons during the minimum of the 23rd solar cycle

The data on fluxes of electrons with energy Ee > 1 MeV and on radiation doses under the Al shielding of about 2 g/cm² measured on the GLONASS satellite (circular orbit with altitude 20000 km and inclination 65°) for the period from December 2006 through May 2010 are analyzed. The minimum of the 23rd solar cycle turned out to be the longest for all over the space exploration age. Consequently, average semiannual electron fluxes and daily radiation doses are showing the decrease by more than an order of magnitude in comparison with the levels observed in 2007. We present an example of a diffusion wave of relativistic electrons; the wave develops in a period between magnetic storms. This process may result in a significant increase of the radiation dose measured in the orbit, even under the conditions of weak geomagnetic disturbances. The dynamics of variations in relativistic electron fluxes during the magnetic storm of April 5?C6, 2010, is discussed so far as this is the first strong flux enhancement in the 24th solar cycle.     

On the prediction of relativistic electron fluence based on its relationship with geomagnetic activity over a solar cycle

A study has been carried out to determine the relationship between high energy relativistic (>2 MeV) electron fluence and auroral zone geomagnetic activity for a solar cycle. Data for 1987–1997, spanning Solar Cycle 22, were used in the study. The relativistic electron fluence data were based on fluxes observed by the GOES geosynchronous satellites. The geomagnetic data were the DRX indices derived from a Canadian magnetic observatory located in the auroral zone at Fort Churchill, near the footprint of field lines passing through geostationary satellites. This work, based on data from a solar cycle, confirms earlier findings using limited data from segments of a solar cycle of enhancement in fluence 2–3 days after increases in geomagnetic activity, and shows the cycle dependence of fluence with respect to geomagnetic activity. This study underlines the influence of recurrent coronal holes on fluence level as well as the possible role of Pc5 magnetic pulsations as an electron acceleration mechanism, and highlights the predictability of fluence from ground geomagnetic data. A fluence prediction algorithm can now solely be based on derived expressions relating fluence and DRX. Thus, a simple fluence prediction scheme can easily be implemented to provide a 2–3 day advance warning of space weather conditions hazardous to geosynchronous satellites, since during days of high fluence, the likelihood of internal charging in a satellite is high, with possible discharges that could result in satellite operational anomalies. For verification purpose, daily values of fluence for 1997–2000 and for January 1994 were postcast using the derived expressions. The postcast values were validated, and the results give credence to the fluence prediction scheme.     

Development of geomagnetic storm in VLF noise

The complex geophysical pattern of the development of geomagnetic storm in VLF emissions has been studied based on the satellite data. It has been established that the variations in the LF noise emission intensity (0.1–20.0 kHz) and the energetic electron (E ≥ 40 keV) flux density reflect the processes of magnetospheric plasma reconstruction during geomagnetic disturbances. It has been indicated that a distinct structure of the inner and outer radiation belts is observed under quiet conditions, and the VLF emission maximum was registered at L = 4–5. The inner boundary of the outer radiation belt shifted to lower latitudes, the intensity of the noise VLF emissions increased, and the intensity maximum was displaced to L = 2.5–3.5 during the geomagnetic storm, when the energetic electron flux density increased. The VLF noise spectrum widened toward higher frequencies. The VLF noise level continued increasing, the noise maximum shifted to L = 4–5, and the fluxes of precipitating electrons abruptly increased during the storm recovery phase, when the density of the flux of quasitrapped electrons remained increased for a long time.     

Dynamics of the ring current–magnetotail currents relationships during geomagnetic storms of different intensity

The results of studying the intensity of fluxes of 30–80 keV ions from the data of measurements of the NOAA (POES) sun-synchronous satellites during geomagnetic storms of different intensity are presented. For 15 geomagnetic storms with |Dst|_max from ~37 to ~422 nT, the storm-time maximum ion fluxes in the near-equatorial region (trapped particles) and at high latitudes (precipitating particles) have been considered. It is shown that the maximum fluxes of trapped particles, which are considered a ring-current proxy, increase with the storm power. In this case, if a smooth growth of fluxes is recorded for storms with |Dst|_max < 250 nT in the near-equatorial region, a significantly steeper growth of fluxes of trapped particles is observed when storm power increases during storms with |Dst|_max > 250 nT. This may be evidence of both an increasing of the contribution of the ring current relative to magnetotail currents to the development of high-intensity storms and to a nonlinear link between the ring current and ion fluxes at low altitudes in the near-equatorial region. Despite large variations in fluxes of precipitating particles in the polar region above the boundary of isotropization, a decreasing tendency, as a whole, in fluxes of these particles is observed with increasing the storm intensity. This is the evidence of the effect of saturation of magnetotail currents and of an increase in the relative role of the ring current during strong magnetic storms.     

Wave activity in the ionosphere during the geospace storm of November 7–10, 2004

This paper presents the results of studies of wave disturbances in the electron concentration N in the ionosphere during a prominent geospace storm, in the process of which the electron concentration decreased by a factor of 6–7, whereas the temperatures of ions and electrons at night increased up to 2000 and 3000 K, respectively. The height-time variations in the parameters of wave disturbances are also analyzed. It is shown that the geospace storm was accompanied by a substantial change in wave activity in the ionosphere. In the period of negative ionospheric storms, the amplitude Δ _N decreased by a factor of 2–10. At the same time, the relative amplitude δ _N = ΔN/N changed insignificantly and was within the limits 0.05–0.10 during day-time. At night, δ _N reached 0.25–0.30 and sometimes even 0.4–0.5. During both disturbed and undisturbed days, quasi-periodic processes with a period of 40–60 and 80–120 min prevailed. The maximum values of the absolute and relative amplitudes were achieved at a height of 200–270 km. A soliton-like disturbance formed near the main phase of the magnetic storm on November 10, 2004 was detected. Its appearance was related to the oblique coherent reflection of sounding signals.     

Are our ideas about Dst correct?

The idea of two separate storm time ring currents, a symmetric and an asymmetric one has accepted since the 1960s. The existence of a symmetric equatorial ring current was concluded from Dst. However, the asymmetric development of the low-latitude geomagnetic disturbance field during storms lead to the assumption of the real existence of an asymmetric ring current. I think it is time to inquire whether this conception is correct. Thus, I have investigated the development of the low-latitude geomagnetic field during all the magnetic local times under disturbed and quiet conditions. The storm on February 6–9, 1986 and a statistical analysis of many storms has shown that the asymmetry does not vanish during the storm recovery phase. The ratio between the recovery phase asymmetry and the main phase asymmetry is low only for powerful storms. Storms of moderate intensity show the opposite. The global picture of the field evolution of the February storm shows clear differences at different local times. For instance the main phase and recovery phase start time does not coincide with Dst. Also the ring current decay is not the same at different local times. Therefore, Dst gives an incorrect picture of the field development. Moreover, asymmetry does not disappear during international quiet days as the investigation of the low-latitude geomagnetic field shows. Considering all these observations, I think we must revise our ideas about the ring current. In my opinion only one ring current exists and this is an asymmetric one. This asymmetry increases during storms and develops rather fast to more or less symmetric conditions. However, in no case is itjustified to conclude from Dst that a symmetric ring current exists.