Dynamics of electron fluxes in the near-rocket region in the ARAKS experiment

In the ARAKS experiment, electron pulses were injected into the ionosphere from onboard a rocket. For different series of pulses, the initial energy of electrons was 27 and 15 keV and the current strength was ∼0.5 A. On board the rocket, the distributions of electron fluxes directed toward the rocket were measured using the retarding potential by the electron energy up to 3000 eV. In this work, it is shown that the appearance of extreme values of the intensity of electron fluxes higher than 200 eV at the tail of the electron energy distribution can be explained by the nonmonotonic acceleration of electrons in the fields of electrostatic turbulence. The dynamics of electron and ion fluxes can be influenced by the polarization drift. It should be noted that extreme values of the flux intensities were not observed at heights lower than 130 km. This can be connected with the suppression of electrostatic oscillations by collisions of electrons with ionospheric components.     

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.     

Strong localized variations of the low-altitude energetic electron fluxes in the evening sector near the plasmapause

Specific type of energetic electron precipitation accompanied by a sharp increase in trapped energetic electron flux are found in the data obtained from low-altitude NOAA satellites. These strongly localized variations of the trapped and precipitated energetic electron flux have been observed in the evening sector near the plasmapause during recovery phase of magnetic storms. Statistical characteristics of these structures as well as the results of comparison with proton precipitation are described. We demonstrate the spatial coincidence of localized electron precipitation with cold plasma gradient and whistler wave intensification measured on board the DE-1 and Aureol-3 satellites. A simultaneous localized sharp increase in both trapped and precipitating electron flux could be a result of significant pitch-angle isotropization of drifting electrons due to their interaction via cyclotron instability with the region of sharp increase in background plasma density.     

Dynamics of the spatial distribution of electrons and their gyrosynchrotron emission characteristics in a collapsing magnetic trap

The dynamics of the distribution of nonthermal electrons, injected into a collapsing magnetic trap, has been considered. The electron energy and pitch angle nonstationary spatial distributions in an extensive magnetic trap have been obtained for the first time for different laws of inhomogeneous magnetic field evolution in this trap by numerically solving the Fokker-Planck kinetic equation. The gyrosynchrotron emission intensity has been calculated for the obtained electron spatial distributions. It has been indicated that energetic electrons are effectively accumulated and accelerated at the top of a collapsing trap due to the first-order Fermi and betatron acceleration mechanisms at certain rates of variations in the magnetic field and background plasma density.     

Formation of electron beams by the interaction of a whistler wave packet with radiation belt electrons

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the properties of electron beams formed by cyclotron interactions between radiation belt electrons and a quasi-monochromatic whistler wave packet from a ground-based VLF transmitter. The beams are formed due to trapping of the electrons at the forward edge of the wave packet, their acceleration inside the wave packet, the escape of the accelerated electrons from the moving backward edge of the wave packet, and their following free motion in an inhomogeneous magnetic field. A combination of these processes provides the main features of the spatial-temporal evolution of the beams which are investigated both analytically and numerically. It is shown that one or two beams can appear at one point at the same time, and that the density of the beams increases during their expansion. Motion of the pumping wave packet in the inhomogeneous magnetic field provides the variations of the initial velocity and position of the beam injection which change the spatial and temporal gradients of the parallel velocity of the beam, in contrast with the case of the pure adiabatic motion of an individual electron. Such a behaviour can be significant for the generation of secondary emissions. Numerical calculations demonstrate a wide variety of the spatio–temporal patterns of the beam parallel velocity depending on the plasma and wave packet parameters. It is shown that the most significant parameters which determine the beam characteristics are the wave packet length about the equator, its group velocity, and the initial energy and pitch angle of the electrons.     

Plasma inhomogeneities and radiowave scattering in experiments with electron pulses in the ionosphere

The absorption of telemetry radiosignals at frequencies of 250 and 75 MHz, transmitted from rockets, was observed in the ARAKS and Zarnitza 2 rocket experiments, respectively, with electron pulses in the ionosphere. The signals were registered with ground receivers. Four cases of complete signal absorption on the propagation path were observed in the ARAKS experiment. The radio absorption at frequencies substantially higher than the plasma and upper hybrid frequencies can be related to wave scattering by plasma inhomogeneities. It has been indicated that plasma inhomogeneities were generated when electrostatic oscillations damped in the region with decreased plasma density at a decrease in the natural oscillation phase volume in the frequency-wave vector space with decreasing plasma density. The observed radio absorption could be related to reflectionless wave scattering in an inhomogeneous plasma structure.     

伴随等离子体密度下降的磁声波与辐射带电子的波粒相互作用及其散射效应

利用范阿伦卫星的高质量观测数据,我们报道了伴随等离子体密度下降的磁声波现象.通过选取分别发生于2013年7月26日(事件A)和2013年9月19日(事件B)的两个相应事件进行细致分析,我们开展试验粒子模拟计算了磁声波对辐射带电子的散射系数,并求解二维福克-普朗克扩散方程量化了磁声波散射导致的辐射带电子动态变化.结果表明,事件A中的磁声波的散射作用主要发生于投掷角范围为60°～80°、能量范围为20～200keV的辐射带电子,而事件B中的磁声波的散射作用主要发生于投掷角范围为50°～80°、能量范围为20～400keV的辐射带电子;两个事件中的磁声波均能导致辐射带电子的蝴蝶状投掷角分布,但是由于事件B的磁声波幅度更强,形成的电子蝴蝶状分布更明显.     

日侧极光弧的发光强度与沉降电子能谱的相关关系

本文利用中国北极黄河站多波段全天空极光观测数据,选取稳定的日侧极光弧,统计研究了极光强度比I_(557.7)/I_(630.0)与极光发光强度I_(557.7)的相关关系.发现I_(557.7)在午前暖点和午后热点区附近出现极大值,分别为2.2kR和2.9 kR;而I_(630.0)在磁正午出现极大值,为1.5kR.当I_(557.7)从0.1kR增加到10kR时,极光强度比I_(557.7)/I_(630.0)也由0.2增加到9.结合DMSP卫星探测的沉降粒子能谱数据,找到17个DMSP卫星穿越黄河站上空极光弧的事件,共穿越40条极光弧.得到了沉降电子的平均能量正比于极光强度比I_(557.7)/I_(630.0),沉降电子的总能通量正相关于极光强度I_(557.7)的关系式.利用该关系式反演所有极光弧的电子能谱,发现在午前和午后扇区,产生极光弧的沉降电子主要来源于等离子体片边界层;在高纬出现强度较弱的弧,对应等离子体幔区域.在磁正午附近,沉降电子的平均能量较低,极光弧处于低纬一侧,粒子源区主要是低纬边界层.     

Irregular structures observed below 71 km in the night-time polar D-region

A new rocket range, SvalRak, was opened in November 1997 at Ny-Ålesund (79°N) in the Svalbard archipelago. The first instrumented rocket was launched on 20 November, 1997, at 1730 UT during geomagnetically quiet conditions. The payload was instrumented to measure plasma parameters in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere, but the payload only reached an altitude of 71 km. This resulted in a very flat trajectory through the lower D-region. The positive ion concentrations were larger than expected, and some unexpected plasma irregularities were observed below 71 km. The irregularities were typically 100 m in spatial extent, with plasma densities a factor of two to five above the ambient background. In the dark polar night the plasma below 71 km must consist mainly of positive and negative ions and the only conceivable ionising radiation is a flux of energetic particles. Furthermore only relativistic electrons have the large energies and the small gyro radii required in order to explain the observed spatial structure. The source of these electrons is uncertain.     

Generation of electromagnetic oscillations at frequencies of the lower hybrid and bounce resonance in mirror magnetic traps: Laboratory and rocket experiments

The generation of electromagnetic oscillations in the vicinity of the lower hybrid resonance and at the frequency of bounce oscillations of fast electrons in the plasma resonator of the magnetospheric type, formed by an HF discharge in a mirror magnetic trap, has been detected and studied. The results of the field rocket experiments aimed at stimulating maser effects, including such effects at frequencies of bounce oscillations of 40-keV electrons in the magnetospheric flux tube of the geomagnetic field, are discussed.     

Electron velocity distribution function in a plasma with temperature gradient and in the presence of suprathermal electrons: application to incoherent-scatter plasma lines

The plasma dispersion function and the reduced velocity distribution function are calculated numerically for any arbitrary velocity distribution function with cylindrical symmetry along the magnetic field. The electron velocity distribution is separated into two distributions representing the distribution of the ambient electrons and the suprathermal electrons. The velocity distribution function of the ambient electrons is modelled by a near-Maxwellian distribution function in presence of a temperature gradient and a potential electric field. The velocity distribution function of the suprathermal electrons is derived from a numerical model of the angular energy flux spectrum obtained by solving the transport equation of electrons. The numerical method used to calculate the plasma dispersion function and the reduced velocity distribution is described. The numerical code is used with simulated data to evaluate the Doppler frequency asymmetry between the up- and downshifted plasma lines of the incoherent-scatter plasma lines at different wave vectors. It is shown that the observed Doppler asymmetry is more dependent on deviation from the Maxwellian through the thermal part for high-frequency radars, while for low-frequency radars the Doppler asymmetry depends more on the presence of a suprathermal population. It is also seen that the full evaluation of the plasma dispersion function gives larger Doppler asymmetry than the heat flow approximation for Langmuir waves with phase velocity about three to six times the mean thermal velocity. For such waves the moment expansion of the dispersion function is not fully valid and the full calculation of the dispersion function is needed.     

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.     

基于卡方分布函数的辐射带电子蝴蝶状投掷角分布的优化判别方法

受不同物理过程影响,辐射带电子呈现多种投掷角分布类型,其中蝴蝶状分布尤为引人关注,其特征为通量在90°投掷角附近有极小值、在较低投掷角处达到峰值.现有研究普遍通过对几个特定投掷角间的通量比值进行限定来识别蝴蝶状分布,然而,该方法所挑选的电子分布并不一定符合蝴蝶状分布特征,这为准确研究电子蝴蝶状分布的现象学规律及其背后物...     

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.     

Excitation of VLF quasi-electrostatic oscillations in the ionospheric plasma

A numerical solution of the dispersion equation for electromagnetic waves in a hot magnetized collisionless plasma has shown that, in a current-free ionospheric plasma, the distortion of the electron distribution function reproducing the downward flow of a thermal electron component and the compensating upward flow of the suprathermal electrons, which are responsible for the resulting heat flux, can destabilize quasi-electrostatic ion sound waves. The numerical analysis, performed with ion densities and electron temperature taken from the data recorded by the Interkosmos-24 (IK-24, Aktivny) satellite, is compared with a VLF spectrum registered at the same time on board. This spectrum shows a wide frequency band emission below the local ion plasma frequency. The direction of the electron heat flux inherent to the assumed model of VLF emission generation is discussed.     

Dynamics of accelerated electron beams and X rays in solar flares with sub-THz radiation

Unique measurements by a solar submillimeter radio telescope (SST) have been carried out in the sub-THz radiation at 212 and 405 THz over the past decade. The spectrum of RF radiation in this region increased with frequency for the three flares of November 2 and 4, 2003, and December 6, 2006, and the flux value reached 5 × 10³?2 × 10⁴ sfu at 405 GHz (Kaufman et al., 2009). In this work, we consider a set of nonlinear equations for an accelerated electrons beam and the Langmuir wave energy density. The distribution functions of the accelerated electron beam and wave energy density are calculated taking into account Coulomb collisions, electron scattering by waves, and wave scattering by plasma ions. In addition, the source of accelerated particles and the heat level of the Langmuir turbulence are specified. The beam and plasma parameters are chosen based on the aims of a problem. The plasma concentration varies from n = 10¹³ to 10¹⁵ cm^?3, the electron plasma frequency f _p = (3 × 10¹⁰?3 × 10¹¹) Hz in this case. The ratio of plasma and beam concentrations, sufficient to explain the value of the radio flux at a frequency of 300 GHz, is n _b/n = 10^?3. The Langmuir turbulence is excited due to the instability of the accelerated electron beam with an initial distribution function of the ??bump-in-tail?? type. Then, the parameters of radiowaves are calculated in the sub-THz range under the assumption of coalescence of two plasma waves. The calculation results show that a sub-THz radio flux can be obtained under the condition of injection of accelerated electrons. The fine time structure of radio flux observed is easily simulated based on this statement by the pulsed time structure of electron beams and their dynamics in overdense plasma. X-ray and gamma radiation was recorded during the events under study. Hard X-ray radiation is bremsstrahlung radiation from accelerated electron beams.     

Relativistic electron losses related to EMIC waves during CIR and CME storms

The losses of radiation belt electrons to the atmosphere due to wave–particle interactions with electromagnetic ion-cyclotron (EMIC) waves during corotating interaction region (CIR) storms compared to coronal mass ejections (CME) storms is investigated. Geomagnetic storms with extended ‘recovery’ phases due to large-amplitude Alfvén waves in the solar wind are associated with relativistic electron flux enhancements in the outer radiation belt. The corotating solar wind streams following a CIR in the solar wind contain large-amplitude Alfvén waves, but also some CME storms with high-speed solar wind can have large-amplitude Alfvén waves and extended ‘recovery’ phases. During both CIR and CME storms the ring current protons are enhanced. In the anisotropic proton zone the protons are unstable for EMIC wave growth. Atmospheric losses of relativistic electrons due to weak to moderate pitch angle scattering by EMIC waves is observed inside the whole anisotropic proton zone. During storms with extended ‘recovery’ phases we observe higher atmospheric loss of relativistic electrons than in storms with fast recovery phases. As the EMIC waves exist in storms with both extended and short recovery phases, the increased loss of relativistic electrons reflects the enhanced source of relativistic electrons in the radiation belt during extended recovery phase storms. The region with the most unstable protons and intense EMIC wave generation, seen as a narrow spike in the proton precipitation, is spatially coincident with the largest loss of relativistic electrons. This region can be observed at all MLTs and is closely connected with the spatial shape of the plasmapause as revealed by simultaneous observations by the IMAGE and the NOAA spacecraft. The observations in and near the atmospheric loss cone show that the CIR and CME storms with extended ‘recovery’ phases produce high atmospheric losses of relativistic electrons, as these storms accelerate electrons to relativistic energies. The CME storm with short recovery phase gives low losses of relativistic electrons due to a reduced level of relativistic electrons in the radiation belt.     

A quantitative model for cyclotron wave-particle interactions at the plasmapause

The formation of a zone of energetic electron precipitation by the plasmapause, a region of enhanced plasma density, following energetic particle injection during a magnetic storm, is analyzed. Such a region can also be formed by detached cold plasma clouds appearing in the outer magnetosphere by restructuring of the plasmasphere during a magnetic storm. As a mechanism of precipitation, wave-particle interactions by the cyclotron instability between whistler-mode waves and electrons are considered. In the framework of the self-consistent equations of quasi-linear plasma theory, the distribution function of trapped electrons and the electron precipitation pattern are found. The theoretical results are compared with experimental data obtained from NOAA satellites.     

Mechanisms of the electron density depletion in the SAR arc region

This study compares the measurements of electron density and temperature and the integral airglow intensity at 630 nm in the SAR arc region and slightly south of this (obtained by the Isis 2 spacecraft during the 18 December 1971 magnetic storm), with the model results obtained using the time dependent one-dimensional mathematical model of the Earth’s ionosphere and plasmasphere. The explicit expression in the third Enskog approximation for the electron thermal conductivity coefficient in the multicomponent mixture of ionized gases and a simplified calculation method for this coefficient presents an opportunity to calculate more exactly the electron temperature and density and 630 nm emission within SAR arc region are used in the model. Collisions between N₂ and hot thermal electrons in the SAR arc region produce vibrationally excited nitrogen molecules. It appears that the loss rate of O⁺(⁴S) due to reactions with the vibrationally excited nitrogen is enough to explain electron density depression by a factor of two at F-region heights and the topside ionosphere density variations within the SAR arc if the erosion of plasma within geomagnetic field tubes, during the main phase of the geomagnetic storm and subsequent filling of geomagnetic tubes during the recovery phase, are considered. To explain the disagreement by a factor 1.5 between the observed and modeled SAR arc electron densities an additional plasma drift velocity \sim-30 m s⁻¹ in the ion continuity equations is needed during the recovery phase. This additional plasma drift velocity is likely caused by the transition from convecting to corotating flux tubes on the equatorward wall of the trough. The electron densities and temperatures and 630 nm integral intensity at the SAR arc and slightly south of this region as measured for the 18 December 1971 magnetic storm were correctly described by the model without perpendicular electric fields. Within this model framework the effect of the perpendicular electric field \sim100 mv m⁻¹ with a duration \sim1 h on the SAR arc electron density profiles was found to be large. However, this effect is small if \sim1-2 h have passed after the electric field was set equal to zero.     

>0.3 MeV高能电子注入辐射带槽区事件的分析与预报

本文利用低高度太阳同步轨道系列卫星NOAA/POES从1996年到2006年的>0.3 MeV高能电子观测数据,分析了>0.3 MeV高能电子注入辐射带槽区的特征,研究了注入槽区事件与行星际条件、太阳活动和地磁扰动之间的联系.研究表明>0.3 MeV高能电子注入辐射带槽区事件与磁暴的发生密切相关,注入事件的发生与太阳活动的强度有一定的相关性.在此研究的基础上,本文通过分析辐射带槽区>0.3 MeV高能电子通量和Dst指数的相关性,提出了利用Dst指数推算辐射带槽区>0.3 MeV高能电子通量的方法,继而给出了可行的辐射带槽区高能电子辐射环境的预警模式.