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.     

Role of magnetospheric convection and precipitation in the formation of the “dusk effect” during the main phase of a magnetic storm

This paper studies the role of magnetospheric factors, such as convection and energetic electron precipitation during the formation of positive disturbances in the total electron content under the conditions of the summer evening ionosphere. à numerical model of the ionosphere and plasmasphere, where time variations in the magnetospheric convection velocity and electron precipitation parameters correspond to the main phase of a magnetic storm, has been used for this purpose. It has been indicated that the total electron content sharply increases (the “dusk effect”) in the eastern and western sectors at approximately the same geomagnetic latitudes corresponding to the subauroral zone provided that a sudden storm commencement is registered in the morning hours. local time. This peak of the total electron content is formed as a result of joint reconstruction of the magnetospheric convection pattern and energetic electron precipitation during the main phase of a storm. In this case, magnetospheric convection plays the main role, raising the F2 layer by 40–80 km into the region with a lower recombination rate.     

NOAA系列卫星高能粒子数据一致性统计分析

顶部电离层是低轨道卫星的运行空间,是能量粒子沉降的重要区域,认识这个空间的能量粒子分布特征对研究各种空间天气事件、地震、火山以及其他人类活动引起的扰动具有重要的现实意义.本文利用位于顶部电离层的5颗NOAA系列卫星数据,统计研究了100～300keV的电子和80～2500keV的质子的全球分布特征.研究发现:高能电子和质子主要分布在两极辐射带和南大西洋异常区,两极辐射带观测到的高能电子通量比南大西洋异常区高几倍到一个数量级,而质子则相反;高能电子在两极辐射带地区通量分布具有不对称性,主要表现为在北辐射带西经75°到东经90°存在低值区,相对应的是粒子主要聚集在其磁共轭区,且其边界和南大西洋异常区相交;高能质子两极辐射带对称分布,在南半球东经0°至东经50°存在高值区.利用概率密度统计分析发现,各颗卫星在南大西洋异常区和两极辐射带的高能电子和高能质子通量总体上均呈正态分布.在南大西洋异常区,NOAA-15观测到的高能电子通量比其他卫星的低,NOAA-16观测的高能电子通量比其他卫星的高,各卫星的高能质子观测结果基本相同.在两极辐射带,各卫星观测的高能电子通量结果基本相同,NOAA-18和...     

Energetic Particles Observed in the CUSP Region During a Storm Recovery Phase

In this paper we report energetic ion behavior and its composition variations observed by the Cluster/RAPID instrument when the spacecraft was travelling in the high latitude magnetospheric boundary region on the day of the 31 March, 2001, strongest magnetic storm in the past 50 years. The Dst index reached −360 nT at about 09:00 UT. During its early recovery phase, large amounts of oxygen and helium ions were observed; the ratio of oxygen to hydrogen in the RAPID energy range reached as high as 250%, which suggests that the observed energetic particles might be of magnetospheric origin. The observations further show that enhanced energetic electron fluxes are confined in a very narrow region, while protons have occupied a larger region, and heavy ions have been observed in an even larger region. The flux of energetic electrons show a slight enhancement in a region where the magnetic field magnitude is around zero. These observed energetic ions could be quasi-trapped by the current sheet in the stagnation region of the cusp.     

Peculiarities of the outer radiation belt dynamics during the strong magnetic storm of May 15, 2005

The dynamics of energetic electrons (E _e =0.17–8 MeV) and protons (E _p =1 MeV) of the outer radiation belt during the magnetic storm of May 15, 2005, at high (GOES-10 and LANL-84 geosynchronous satellites) and low (Meteor-3M polar satellite) altitudes is analyzed. The data have been compared to the density, plasma velocity, solar wind, and magnetic field measurements on the ACE satellite and geomagnetic disturbances. During the magnetic storm main phase, the nighttime boundary of the region of trapped radiation and the center of westward electrojet shifted to L ～ 3. Enhancements of only low-energy electrons were observed on May 15, 2005. The belt of relativistic electrons with a maximum at L ～ 4 was formed during the substorm, the amplitude of which reached its maximum at ～0630 UT on May 16. The results are in good agreement with the regularity relating the position of a maximum of the new relativistic electron belt, boundaries of the trapped radiation region, and extreme low-latitude position of westward electrojet center to the Dst variation amplitude.     

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.     

磁暴主相期间外辐射带结构的变化

本文利用相对論带电粒子的两个寝渐不变量,討論了磁暴主相期間外輻射带中心結构的变化。作者认为磁暴主相是由“磁暴带”环电流所产生。“磁暴带”假設位于外輻射带中心之外,它是太阳等离子体穿入磁层后形成的。本文对初始能量W=20Kev和W=1Mev的电子分別进行了計算。 結果表明,在磁暴主相期間电子向外漂移,其赤道投擲角減小,但镜点离地面距离增高。因此,主相时所观測到的极光,并不是由于地磁場的平緩下降使小投擲角电子注入大气层而形成的。此外,計数率降低的主要原因是由于力管截面膨胀造成的粒子密度減小以及电子減速,而电子減速与投擲角有关,由此决定了电子通量沿磁力线分布的变化。以上結果与探险者6号（Explorer Ⅵ）的观測一致。     

Global X-ray emission during an isolated substorm — a case study

The polar ionospheric X-ray imaging experiment (PIXIE) and the UV imager (UVI) onboard the Polar satellite have provided the first simultaneous global scale views of the patterns of electron precipitation through imaging of the atmospheric X-ray bremsstrahlung and the auroral UV emissions. While the UV images in the Lyman–Birge–Hopfield-long band used in this study respond to the total electron energy flux which is usually dominated by low-energy electrons (<10 keV), the PIXIE images of X-ray bremsstrahlung above ∼2.7 keV respond to electrons of energy above ∼3 keV. Comparison of precipitation features seen by UVI and PIXIE provides information on essentially complementary energy ranges of the precipitating electrons. In this study an isolated substorm is examined using data from PIXIE, UVI, ground-based measurements, and in situ measurements from high- and low-altitude satellites to obtain information about the global characteristics during the event. Results from a statistical study of isolated substorms, which has reported a significant difference in the patterns of energetic electron precipitation compared to the less energetic precipitation are confirmed. A localized maximum of electron precipitation in the morning sector delayed with respect to substorm onset is clearly seen in the X-ray aurora, and the time delay of this morning precipitation relative to substorm onset strongly indicates that this intensification is caused by electrons injected in the midnight sector drifting into a region in the dawnside magnetosphere where some mechanism effectively scatter the electrons into the loss cone. In this study, we also present the results from two low-altitude satellite passes through the region of the localized maximum of X-ray emission in the morning sector. Measured X rays are compared with X-ray fluxes calculated from the electron spectral measurements. By fitting the electron spectra by a sum of two exponentials we obtain fairly good agreement between calculated and directly measured X-ray flux profiles.     

Mapping travelling convection vortex events with respect to energetic particle boundaries

Thirteen events of high-latitude ionospheric travelling convection vortices during very quiet conditions were identified in the Greenland magnetometer data during 1990 and 1991. The latitudes of the vortex centres for these events are compared to the energetic electron trapping boundaries as identified by the particle measurements of the NOAA 10 satellite. In addition, for all events at least one close DMSP overpass was available. All but one of the 13 cases agree to an exceptional degree that: the TCV centres are located within the region of trapped, high energy electrons close to the trapping boundary for the population of electrons with energy greater than > 100 keV. Correspondingly, from the DMSP data they are located within the region of plasmasheet-type precipitation close to the CPS/BPS precipitation boundary. That is, the TCV centres map to deep inside the magnetosphere and not to the magnetopause.     

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.     

Observations of flux rope – associated particle bursts with GEOTAIL in the distant tail

Geotail energetic particle, magnetic field data and plasma observations (EPIC, MGF and CPI experiments) have been examined for a number of energetic particle bursts in the distant tail (120Re < |X_GSM| < 130 Re), associated with moving magnetic field structures, following substorm onsets. The features obtained from this data analysis are consistent with the distant magnetotail dynamics determined first by ISEE3 observations and explained in terms of the neutral line model. At the onset of the bursts, before plasma sheet entrance, energetic electrons appear as a field-aligned beam flowing in the tailward direction, followed by anisotro-pic ions. Within the flux rope region, suprathermal ions exhibit a convective anisotropy, which allows determination of the plasma flow velocity, assuming that the anisotropy arises from the Compton-Getting effect. The velocities thus determined in the plasma sheet are estimated to be 200–650 km/s, and compare favourably with the velocities derived from the CPI electron and proton experiment. The estimated length of magnetic field structures varies between 28 and 56 Re and depends on the strength of the westward electrojet intensification. Finally, the three structures reported here show clear magnetic field signatures of flux rope topology. The existence of a strong magnetic field aligned approximately along the Y-axis and centred on the north-to-south excursion of the field, and the bipolar signature in both By and/or Bz components, is consistent with the existence of closed field lines extending from Earth and wrapping around the core of the flux rope structure.     

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

Understanding the dynamics of the Earth’s radiation belts is important for modeling and forecasting the intensities of energetic electrons in space. Wave diffusion processes are known to be responsible for loss and acceleration of electrons in the radiation belts. Several recent studies indicate pitch angle and energy mixed-diffusion are also important when considering the total diffusive effects. In this study, a two-dimensional Fokker Planck equation is solved numerically using the Alternating Direction Implicit method. Mixed diffusion due to whistler-mode chorus waves tends to slow down the total diffusion in the energy-pitch angle space, particularly at smaller equatorial pitch angles. We then incorporate the electron energy and pitch angle mixed diffusions due to whistler-model chorus waves into the 4-dimensional Radiation Belt Environment (RBE) model and study the effect of mixed diffusion during a storm in October 2002. The 4-D simulation results show that energy and pitch angle mixed diffusion decrease the electron fluxes in the outer belt while electron fluxes in the slot region are enhanced (up to a factor of 2) during storm time.     

Properties and origin of energetic particles at the duskside of the Earth’s magnetosheath throughout a great storm

We study an interval of 56 h on January 16 to 18, 1995, during which the GEOTAIL spacecraft traversed the duskside magnetosheath from X ≅ −15 to −40 R_E and the EPIC/ICS and EPIC/STICS sensors sporadically detected tens of energetic particle bursts. This interval coincides with the expansion and growth of a great geomagnetic storm. The flux bursts are strongly dependent on the magnetic field orientation. They switch on whenever the B_z component approaches zero (B_z ≅ 0 nT). We strongly suggest a magnetospheric origin for the energetic ions and electrons streaming along these “exodus channels”. The time profiles for energetic protons and “tracer” O⁺ ions are nearly identical, which suggests a common source. We suggest that the particles leak out of the magnetosphere all the time and that when the magnetosheath magnetic field connects the spacecraft to the magnetotail, they stream away to be observed by the GEOTAIL sensors. The energetic electron fluxes are not observed as commonly as the ions, indicating that their source is more limited in extent. In one case study the magnetosheath magnetic field lines are draped around the magnetopause within the YZ plane and a dispersed structure for peak fluxes of different species is detected and interpreted as evidence for energetic electrons leaking out from the dawn LLBL and then being channelled along the draped magnetic field lines over the magnetopause. Protons leak from the equatorial dusk LLBL and this spatial differentiation between electron and proton sources results in the observed dispersion. A gradient of energetic proton intensities toward the Z_GSM= 0 plane is inferred. There is a permanent layer of energetic particles adjacent to the magnetosheath during this interval in which the dominant component of the magnetic field was B_z.     

Modeling of nonstationary electron precipitation by the whistler cyclotron instability

We study a simple self-consistent model of a whistler cyclotron maser derived from the full set of quasi-linear equations. We employ numerical calculations to demonstrate dependencies of pulsation regimes of whistler-mode wave interactions with energetic electrons on plasma parameters. Possible temporal evolution of those regimes in real conditions is discussed; calculations are compared with case-study experimental data on energetic electron precipitation pulsations. A reasonable agreement of the model results and the observations has been found.     

Responses of geostationary orbit energetic electron fluxes to chorus waves under different geomagnetic conditions

We investigate the flux evolution of geostationary orbit energetic electrons during a strong storm on 24 August 2005(event A,the storm index Dst<200 nT,the average substorm index AE=436 nT)and a weak storm on 28 October 2006(event B,Dst>50 nT,average AE=320 nT).Data collected by LANL and GOES-12 satellites show that energetic electron fluxes increase by a factor of 10 during the recovery phase compared to the prestorm level for both events A and B.As the substorm continued,the Cluster C4 satellite observed strong whistler-mode chorus waves(with spectral density approaching 10 5nT2/Hz).The wave amplitude correlates with the substorm AE index,but is less correlated with the storm Dst index.Using a Gaussian distribution fitting method,we solve the Fokker-Planck diffusion equation governing the wave-particle interaction.Numerical results demonstrate that chorus waves efficiently accelerate~1 MeV energetic electrons,particularly at high pitch angles.The calculated acceleration time scale and amplitude are comparable to observations.Our results provide new observational support for chorus-driven acceleration of radiation belt energetic electrons.     

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.     

Dynamics of solar protons in the Earth’s magnetosphere during magnetic storms in November 2004–January 2005

The processes of penetration, trapping, and acceleration of solar protons in the Earth’s magneto-sphere during magnetic storms in November 2004 and January 2005 are studied based on the energetic particle measurements on the CORONAS-F and SERVIS-1 satellites. Acceleration of protons by 1–2 orders of magnitude was observed after trapping of solar protons with an energy of 1–15 MeV during the recovery phase of the magnetic storm of November 7–8, 2004. This acceleration was accompanied by an earthward shift of the particle flux maximum for several days, during which the series of magnetic storms continued. The process of relativistic electron acceleration proceeded simultaneously and according to a similar scenario including acceleration of protons. At the end of this period, the intensification was terminated by the process of precipitation, and a new proton belt split with the formation of two maximums at L ～ 2 and 3. In the January 2005 series of moderate storms, solar protons were trapped at L = 3.7 during the storm of January 17–18. However, during the magnetic storm of January 21, these particles fell in the zone of quasi-trapping, or precipitated into the atmosphere, or died in the magnetosheath. At the same time, the belts that were formed in November at L ～ 2 and 3 remained unchanged. Transformations of the proton (and electron) belts during strong magnetic storms change the intensity and structure of belts for a long time. Thus, the consequences of changes during the July 2004 storm did not disappear until November disturbances.     

Auroral electron precipitation when the trapped radiation region collapsed during the main phase of the geomagnetic storm of May 15, 2005

The simultaneous measurements of the boundary of the trapped radiation region, where auroral electrons precipitate, on the Meteor-3M satellite (the circular polar orbit at an altitude of ∼1000 km) and the westward electrojet dynamics during the main phase of a strong (Dst = −263 nT) magnetic storm that occurred on May 15, 2005, are analyzed. At the end of the first hour of the storm main phase, the nightside boundary of the trapped radiation region and the peak of the precipitating electron fluxes with a energies of ∼1 keV shifted toward the Earth to L ∼ 3. The westward electrojet center approached the same L shell. Near the boundary of the trapped radiation region, the auroral electron spectrum had the shape of typical inverted V. The differential spectrum maximum shifted to an energy of ∼100 eV, when the latitude decreased by ∼1°. The nightside boundary of the trapped radiation region, the electron precipitation equatorward boundary, and the westward electrojet center are compared with the known empirical dependences of the position of these structures on the Dst variation amplitude.     

Interrelation between localized energetic particle precipita ion and cold plasma inhomogeneities in the magnetosphere

Situations when localized precipitation of energetic (E > 30 keV) protons and electrons, associated with the development of cyclotron instability in the magnetosphere, is recorded during one satellite pass are identified in the data of particle flux observations on the NOAA-12 low-orbiting satellite. Such events were observed only in the evening sector of the magnetosphere. This precipitation is compared with the data on the cold (E < 10 eV) plasma density obtained on the LANL geostationary satellites. The comparison showed that the precipitation of energetic particles is related to the presence of cold plasma with a density of 20–100 cm^?3 in geostationary orbit in the evening sector of the magnetosphere. The conclusion has been made that the localized precipitation of energetic particles is generated at the edges of small-scale structures of cold plasma, forming the so-called “plasmaspheric tail,” i.e., the cold plasma region extending from the evening plasmapause toward the Sun.     

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.