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Found 53 entries in the Bibliography.
Showing entries from 1 through 50
| 2021 |
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Plain Language Summary The plasmasphere is the region filled with cold, dense ionized gas in geospace. The ionized gas mainly consists in protons, helium ions, oxygen ions and electrons, which come from Earth’s ionosphere and fill in magnetic flux tubes. The density distribution of the ionized gas along the flux tube provides important information to understand how the ions and electrons have been supplied from the ionosphere. Many satellites fly in the equatorial plane, hence, do not provide information on the electron density along the field. The RBSP and the Arase satellites have different inclinations and sometimes they simultaneously fly near the equator and off the equator on the same magnetic field line. Using electron densities observed by these satellites during the 7 Sep 2017 storm, we successfully estimated the electron density distribution along of the field lines inside the partially refilled plasmasphere, outside of the plasmasphere and in the tail-like structure called a plume. Obana, Yuki; Miyashita, Yukinaga; Maruyama, Naomi; Shinbori, Atsuki; Nosé, Masahito; Shoji, Masafumi; Kumamoto, Atsushi; Tsuchiya, Fuminori; Matsuda, Shoya; Matsuoka, Ayako; Kasahara, Yoshiya; Miyoshi, Yoshizumi; Shinohara, Iku; Kurth, William; Smith, Charles; MacDowall, Robert; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 09/2021 YEAR: 2021 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1029/2020JA029073 plasmasphere; inner magnetosphere; Arase satellite; Van Allen Probes satellite; simultaneous observation; Geomagnetic storm; Van Allen Probes |
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Global Survey of Electron Precipitation due to Hiss Waves in the Earth s Plasmasphere and Plumes Abstract We present a global survey of energetic electron precipitation from the equatorial magnetosphere due to hiss waves in the plasmasphere and plumes. Using Van Allen Probes measurements, we calculate the pitch angle diffusion coefficients at the bounce loss cone, and evaluate the energy spectrum of precipitating electron flux. Our ∼6.5-year survey shows that, during disturbed times, hiss inside the plasmasphere primarily causes the electron precipitation at L > 4 over 8 h < MLT < 18 h, and hiss waves in plumes cause the precipitation at L > 5 over 8 h < MLT < 14 h and L > 4 over 14 h < MLT < 20 h. The precipitating energy flux increases with increasing geomagnetic activity, and is typically higher in the plasmaspheric plume than the plasmasphere. The characteristic energy of precipitation increases from ∼20 keV at L = 6 to ∼100 keV at L = 3, potentially causing the loss of electrons at several hundred keV. Ma, Q.; Li, W.; Zhang, X.-J.; Bortnik, J.; Shen, X.-C.; Connor, H.; Boyd, A.; Kurth, W.; Hospodarsky, G.; Claudepierre, S.; Reeves, G.; Spence, H.; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 07/2021 YEAR: 2021 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1029/2021JA029644 electron precipitation; hiss wave; plasmasphere; plasmaspheric plume; Precipitating Energy Flux; Van Allen Probes Survey; Van Allen Probes |
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The Roles of the Magnetopause and Plasmapause in Storm-Time ULF Wave Power Enhancements Abstract Ultra Low Frequency (ULF) waves play a crucial role in transporting and coupling energy within the magnetosphere. During geomagnetic storms, dayside magnetospheric ULF wave power is highly variable with strong enhancements that are dominated by elevated solar wind driving. However, the radial distribution of ULF wave power is complex - controlled interdependently by external solar wind driving and the internal magnetospheric structuring. We conducted a statistical analysis of observed storm-time ULF wave power from the Van Allen Probes spacecraft within 2012 - 2016. Focusing on the dayside (06 < Magnetic Local Time ≤ 15), we observe large enhancements across 3 < L < 6 and a steep L dependence during the main phase. We consider how accounting for concurrent magnetopause and plasmapause locations may reduce statistical variability and improve parameterisation of spatial trends over and above using the L value. Ordering storm time ULF wave power by L provides the weakest dependences from those considered, whereas ordering by distance from the magnetopause is more effective. We also explore dependences on local plasma density and find that spatially localised ULF wave power enhancements are confined within high density patches in the afternoon sector (likely plasmaspheric plumes). The results have critical implications for empirical models of ULF wave power and radial diffusion coefficients. We highlight the necessity of improved characterisation of the highly distorted storm-time cold plasma density distribution, in order to more accurately predict ULF wave power. Sandhu, J.; Rae, I.; Staples, F.; Hartley, D.; Walach, M.-T.; Elsden, T.; Murphy, K.; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 06/2021 YEAR: 2021 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1029/2021JA029337 ULF waves; Geomagnetic storms; Van Allen Probes; radial diffusion; inner magnetosphere; plasmasphere |
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Abstract We present a comparison of magnetospheric plasma mass/electron density observations during an 11-day interval which includes the geomagnetic storm of 22 June 2015. For this study we used: equatorial plasma mass density derived from geomagnetic field line resonances (FLRs) detected by Van Allen Probes and at the ground-based magnetometer networks EMMA and CARISMA; in situ electron density inferred by the Neural-network-based Upper hybrid Resonance Determination algorithm applied to plasma wave Van Allen Probes measurements. The combined observations at L ∼ 4, MLT ∼ 16 of the two longitudinally-separated magnetometer networks show a temporal pattern very similar to that of the in situ observations: a density decrease by an order of magnitude about 1 day after the Dst minimum, a partial recovery a few hours later, and a new strong decrease soon after. The observations are consistent with the position of the measurement points with respect to the plasmasphere boundary as derived by a plasmapause test particle simulation. A comparison between plasma mass densities derived from ground and in situ FLR observations during favourable conjunctions shows a good agreement. We find however, for L < ∼3, the spacecraft measurements to be higher than the corresponding ground observations with increasing deviation with decreasing L, which might be related to the rapid outbound spacecraft motion in that region. A statistical analysis of the average ion mass using simultaneous spacecraft measurements of mass and electron density indicates values close to 1 amu in plasmasphere and higher values (∼ 2-3 amu) in plasmatrough. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. Vellante, M.; Takahashi, K.; Del Corpo, A.; Zhelavskaya, I.; Goldstein, J.; Mann, I.; Pietropaolo, E.; Reda, J.; Heilig, B.; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 06/2021 YEAR: 2021 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1029/2021JA029292 magnetoseismology; plasmasphere; Field line resonance; ground-based magnetometers; Van Allen Probes; Swarm satellites |
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Abstract This paper presents results from a numerical study of the guiding of VLF whistler-mode waves along the ambient magnetic field by the shelf-like density structures observed by the NASA Van Allen Probes satellites in the equatorial plasmasphere. The shelf-duct consists of a homogeneous central part “sandwiched” between two density gradients pointing in the same direction. To the best of our knowledge, this type of whistler ducting has never been identified in observations before. Our investigation is based on simulations of the electron-MHD model, and our goal is to explain the mechanism of providing wave trapping and to reproduce the structure of the observed waves. The main result from this study is that the shelf-like, field-aligned density irregularities can indeed guide whistler-mode waves along the ambient magnetic field with little attenuation, and the parameters of the guided waves are defined by the parameters of the duct. The simulations reproduce the structure of the observed waves reasonably well. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 05/2021 YEAR: 2021 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1029/2021JA029403 Whistler waves; density duct; plasmasphere; RBSP; simulations; Van Allen Probes |
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Abstract We study packages of VLF whistler-mode waves observed by the Van Allen Probes satellites in the equatorial plasmasphere. We demonstrate that the main mechanism providing localization of these waves inside relatively broad (>1 RE across the ambient magnetic field) magnetospheric regions is a combined effect of the transverse gradients in the plasma density and the ambient magnetic field. The criterion for the wave trapping by these gradients is the same as for the wave trapping inside a high-density duct with a symmetric, Gaussian-like profile of the density in the uniform magnetic field. This criterion can be used to determine the parallel wavelength of the wave with a known frequency trapped by the density and magnetic field inhomogeneities with known parameters. The developed theoretical approach demonstrates a good, quantitative agreement with the observations. The analytical results have been confirmed with comprehensive, time-dependent simulations of the electron-MHD model. Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 02/2021 YEAR: 2021 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1029/2020JA028933 density inhomogeneity; duct; Plasmapause; plasmasphere; VLF waves; whistler; Van Allen Probes |
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Abstract We present a statistical study of density cavities observed in the inner magnetosphere by the Van Allen Probes during four one-month periods: February 2013, July 2013, January 2014 and June 2014. These periods were chosen to allow the survey of all magnetic local times. We find that density cavities are a recurrent feature of the density profiles of in situ measurements in the inner magnetosphere. We further investigate the correlation between the density cavities and the enhancement of fluxes of warm ions with energies of 10-100 eV. The results show that warm ion flux enhancements associated with the density cavities were observed more frequently for H+, then for He+ and the least frequently for O+. The occurrences of the associated flux enhancements were increased when considering only the cavities inside the plasmasphere. Possible mechanisms responsible for the observed warm ion flux enhancements and the role of density cavities on these ion flux enhancements are discussed. Ferradas, C.; Boardsen, S.; Fok, M.-C.; Buzulukova, N.; Reeves, G.; Larsen, B.; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 02/2021 YEAR: 2021 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1029/2020JA028326 Magnetosphere: inner; plasmasphere; magnetospheric configuration and dynamics; plasma waves and instabilities; plasma sheet; density cavity; cold ion heating; cold ions; warm Plasma cloak; Van Allen Probes |
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AbstractIn-situ electron density profiles obtained from Arase in the night magnetic local time (MLT) sector and from RBSP-B covering all MLTs are used to study the small-scale density irregularities present in the plasmasphere and near the plasmapause. Electron density perturbations with amplitudes > 10\% from background density and with time-scales less than 30-min are investigated here as the small-scale density irregularities. The statistical survey of the density irregularities is carried out using nearly two years of density data obtained from RBSP-B and four months of data from Arase satellites. The results show that density irregularities are present globally at all MLT sectors and L-shells both inside and outside the plasmapause, with a higher occurrence at L > 4. The occurrence of density irregularities is found to be higher during disturbed geomagnetic and interplanetary conditions. The case studies presented here revealed: 1) The plasmaspheric density irregularities observed during both quiet and disturbed conditions are found to co-exist with the hot plasma sheet population. 2) During quiet periods, the plasma waves in the whistler-mode frequency range are found to be modulated by the small-scale density irregularities, with density depletions coinciding well with the decrease in whistler intensity. Our observations suggest that different source mechanisms are responsible for the generation of density structures at different MLTs and geomagnetic conditions.This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. Thomas, Neethal; Shiokawa, Kazuo; Miyoshi, Yoshizumi; Kasahara, Yoshiya; Shinohara, Iku; Kumamoto, Atsushi; Tsuchiya, Fuminori; Matsuoka, Ayako; Kasahara, Satoshi; Yokota, Shoichiro; Keika, Kunihiro; Hori, Tomo; Asamura, Kazushi; Wang, Shiang-Yu; Kazama, Yoichi; Tam, Sunny; Chang, Tzu-Fang; Wang, Bo-Jhou; Wygant, John; Breneman, Aaron; Reeves, Geoff; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 02/2021 YEAR: 2021 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1029/2020JA027917 Electron density; small-scale density irregularities; plasmasphere; inner magnetosphere; Van Allen Probes; Arase |
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A combined neural network- and physics-based approach for modeling plasmasphere dynamics AbstractIn recent years, feedforward neural networks (NNs) have been successfully applied to reconstruct global plasmasphere dynamics in the equatorial plane. These neural network-based models capture the large-scale dynamics of the plasmasphere, such as plume formation and erosion of the plasmasphere on the nightside. However, their performance depends strongly on the availability of training data. When the data coverage is limited or non-existent, as occurs during geomagnetic storms, the performance of NNs significantly decreases, as networks inherently cannot learn from the limited number of examples. This limitation can be overcome by employing physics-based modeling during strong geomagnetic storms. Physics-based models show a stable performance during periods of disturbed geomagnetic activity, if they are correctly initialized and configured. In this study, we illustrate how to combine the neural network- and physics-based models of the plasmasphere in an optimal way by using data assimilation. The proposed approach utilizes advantages of both neural network- and physics-based modeling and produces global plasma density reconstructions for both quiet and disturbed geomagnetic activity, including extreme geomagnetic storms. We validate the models quantitatively by comparing their output to the in-situ density measurements from RBSP-A for an 18-month out-of-sample period from 30 June 2016 to 01 January 2018, and computing performance metrics. To validate the global density reconstructions qualitatively, we compare them to the IMAGE EUV images of the He+ particle distribution in the Earth s plasmasphere for a number of events in the past, including the Halloween storm in 2003.This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. Zhelavskaya, I.; Aseev, N.; Shprits, Y; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 02/2021 YEAR: 2021 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1029/2020JA028077 plasmasphere; plasma density; neural networks; data assimilation; Kalman Filter; Machine learning; Van Allen Probes |
| 2020 |
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We present new and previously unreported in situ observations of Hertz frequency multiharmonic mode field line resonances detected by the Electric Field and Waves instrument on-board the NASA Van Allen probes during low-L perigee passes. Spectral analysis of the spin-plane electric field data reveals the waves in numerous perigee passes, in sequential passes of probes A and B, and with harmonic frequency structures from ∼0.5 to 3.5 Hz which vary with L-shell, altitude, and from day-to-day. Comparing the observations to wave models using plasma mass density values along the field line given by empirical power laws and from the International Reference Ionosphere model, we conclude that the waves are standing Alfvén field line resonances and that only odd-mode harmonics are excited. The model eigenfrequencies are strongly controlled by the density close to the apex of the field line, suggesting a new diagnostic for equatorial ionospheric density dynamics. Lena, F.; Ozeke, L.; Wygant, J.; Tian, S.; Breneman, A.; Mann, I.; Published by: Geophysical Research Letters Published on: 12/2020 YEAR: 2020 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1029/2020GL090632 Field line resonance; Ionosphere; magneto-seismology; Magnetosphere; plasmasphere; standing Alfvén waves; Van Allen Probes |
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Whistler-mode hiss waves generally determine MeV electron lifetimes inside the plasmasphere. We use Van Allen Probes measurements to provide the first comprehensive statistical survey of plasmaspheric hiss-driven quasi-linear pitch-angle diffusion rates and lifetimes of MeV electrons as a function of L*, local time, and AE index, taking into account hiss power, electron plasma frequency to gyrofrequency ratio ωpe/Ωce, hiss frequency at peak power ωm, and cross correlations of these parameters. We find that during geomagnetically active periods with hiss observations, ωpe/Ωce and ωm decrease, leading to faster electron loss. We demonstrate that spatiotemporal variations of ωm and ωpe/Ωce with AE, together with wave power changes, significantly affect MeV electron loss, potentially leading to short lifetimes of less than 1 day. A parametric model of MeV electron lifetime driven by AE for L > 2.5 up to the plasmapause is developed and validated using Magnetic Electron Ion Spectrometer (MagEIS) electron flux decay database. Agapitov, O.; Mourenas, D.; Artemyev, A.; Claudepierre, S.; Hospodarsky, G.; Bonnell, J.; Published by: Geophysical Research Letters Published on: 05/2020 YEAR: 2020 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1029/2020GL088052 electron lifetimes; plasmasphere; hiss waves; wave-particle interactions; Van Allen Probes |
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Abstract A comprehensive numerical raytracing study of whistler mode wave power with the inclusion of finite background electron and ion temperature is performed in order to investigate wave power distribution in relation to the plasmapause. Both Landau damping and linear growth of whistler mode waves are taken into account using a bi-Maxwellian hot electron distribution as well as an isotropic hot electron distribution. Isotropic and bi-Maxwellian distributions yield similar results of statistical spatial wave power for frequencies below 500 Hz. The effect of finite background temperature of ∼1 eV for electrons and ions are secondary in terms of the spatial distribution of whistler mode waves relative to the plasmapause. Three primary equatorial source locations at L=2, Lpp and L=5, corresponding to within the plasmasphere, at the plasmapause and outside the plasmapause, are investigated for MLT values of 00, 06, 12, and 18. At each location, waves are launched with a range of initial wave normal angles (−70° to 20°). The simulated wave power distributions are compared with observations from the EMFISIS instrument on Van Allen Probe A. Correspondence between the simulated distribution and the observations requires a weighting of the source regions. Results suggest that the majority of whistler mode power in the plasmasphere is sourced from within the plasmasphere itself and near the plasmapause. Only at noon (MLT 12) is wave power sourced primarily from at and outside the plasmapause. Maxworth, A.; Gołkowski, M.; Malaspina, D.; Jaynes, A.; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 04/2020 YEAR: 2020 DOI: 10.1029/2019JA027154 hiss; plasmasphere; Warm Plasma; Raytracing; Magnetosphere; Van Allen Probes |
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A comprehensive numerical raytracing study of whistler mode wave power with the inclusion of finite background electron and ion temperature is performed in order to investigate wave power distribution in relation to the plasmapause. Both Landau damping and linear growth of whistler mode waves are taken into account using a bi-Maxwellian hot electron distribution as well as an isotropic hot electron distribution. Isotropic and bi-Maxwellian distributions yield similar results of statistical spatial wave power for frequencies below 500 Hz. The effect of finite background temperature of ∼1 eV for electrons and ions are secondary in terms of the spatial distribution of whistler mode waves relative to the plasmapause. Three primary equatorial source locations at L=2, Lpp and L=5, corresponding to within the plasmasphere, at the plasmapause and outside the plasmapause, are investigated for MLT values of 00, 06, 12, and 18. At each location, waves are launched with a range of initial wave normal angles (−70° to 20°). The simulated wave power distributions are compared with observations from the EMFISIS instrument on Van Allen Probe A. Correspondence between the simulated distribution and the observations requires a weighting of the source regions. Results suggest that the majority of whistler mode power in the plasmasphere is sourced from within the plasmasphere itself and near the plasmapause. Only at noon (MLT 12) is wave power sourced primarily from at and outside the plasmapause. Maxworth, A.; Gołkowski, M.; Malaspina, D.; Jaynes, A.; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 04/2020 YEAR: 2020 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1029/2019JA027154 hiss; plasmasphere; Warm Plasma; Raytracing; Magnetosphere; Van Allen Probes |
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Plasmaspheric hiss is an important whistler-mode emission shaping the Van Allen radiation belt environment. How the plasmaspheric hiss waves are generated, propagate, and dissipate remains under intense debate. With the five spacecraft of Van Allen Probes, Exploration of energization and Radiation in Geospace (Arase), and Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites missions at widely spaced locations, we present here the first comprehensive observations of hiss waves growing from the substorm-injected electron instability, spreading within the plasmasphere, and dissipating over a large spatial scale. During substorms, hot electrons were injected energy-dispersively into the plasmasphere near the dawnside and, probably through a combination of linear and nonlinear cyclotron resonances, generated whistler-mode waves with globally drifting frequencies. These waves were able to propagate from the dawnside to the noonside, with the frequency-drifting feature retained. Approximately 5 hr of magnetic local time away from the source region in the dayside sector, the wave power was dissipated to urn:x-wiley:grl:media:grl60110:grl60110-math-0001 of its original level. Liu, Nigang; Su, Zhenpeng; Gao, Zhonglei; Zheng, Huinan; Wang, Yuming; Wang, Shui; Miyoshi, Yoshizumi; Shinohara, Iku; Kasahara, Yoshiya; Tsuchiya, Fuminori; Kumamoto, Atsushi; Matsuda, Shoya; Shoji, Masafumi; Mitani, Takefumi; Takashima, Takeshi; Kazama, Yoichi; Wang, Bo-Jhou; Wang, Shiang-Yu; Jun, Chae-Woo; Chang, Tzu-Fang; W. Y. Tam, Sunny; Kasahara, Satoshi; Yokota, Shoichiro; Keika, Kunihiro; Hori, Tomoaki; Matsuoka, Ayako; Published by: Geophysical Research Letters Published on: 01/2020 YEAR: 2020 DOI: 10.1029/2019GL086040 plasmasphere; Plasmaspheric Hiss; Radiation belt; Van Allen Probes; Wave Dissipation; wave generation; wave propagation |
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The plasmasphere is a critical region of the magnetosphere. It is important for the evolution of Earth\textquoterights radiation belts. Waves in the plasmasphere interior (hiss) and vicinity (EMIC, chorus) help control the acceleration and loss of radiation belt particles. Thus, understanding the extent, structure, content, and dynamics of the plasmasphere is crucial to understanding radiation belt losses. The Van Allen Probes mission uses two methods to determine the total plasma density. First, the upper hybrid resonance (UHR) frequency can provide electron density; this determination is the most accurate and robust. However, it requires significant analysis and is challenging during geomagnetically active times: it becomes difficult to interpret the wave spectrum, and the amount of available data is severely limited. Second, the spacecraft potential is a proxy for the plasma density. These high resolution measurements are available with high duty cycle. However, environmental effects can limit the accuracy of this method. The relation between spacecraft potential and density is empirical, requiring an independent density measurement and repeated checks. We perform a quantitative comparison of these two in situ techniques during the first 3.5 years of the Van Allen Probes mission. We show how to calibrate potential-based density measurements using only publicly available wave-derived densities to provide high fidelity results even if upper hybrid measurements are sparse or unavailable. We quantify the level of uncertainty to expect from potential-derived density data. Our approach can be applied to any in situ spacecraft mission where reliable absolute density and spacecraft potential data are available. Jahn, J.-M.; Goldstein, J.; Kurth, W.S.; Thaller, S.; De Pascuale, S.; Wygant, J.; Reeves, G.D.; Spence, H.E.; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 01/2020 YEAR: 2020 DOI: 10.1029/2019JA026860 cold plasma density; plasmasphere; spacecraft charging; Van Allen Probes; wave resonances |
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Abstract Plasmaspheric hiss is an important whistler-mode emission shaping the Van Allen radiation belt environment. How the plasmaspheric hiss waves are generated, propagate, and dissipate remains under intense debate. With the five spacecraft of Van Allen Probes, Exploration of energization and Radiation in Geospace (Arase), and Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites missions at widely spaced locations, we present here the first comprehensive observations of hiss waves growing from the substorm-injected electron instability, spreading within the plasmasphere, and dissipating over a large spatial scale. During substorms, hot electrons were injected energy-dispersively into the plasmasphere near the dawnside and, probably through a combination of linear and nonlinear cyclotron resonances, generated whistler-mode waves with globally drifting frequencies. These waves were able to propagate from the dawnside to the noonside, with the frequency-drifting feature retained. Approximately 5 hr of magnetic local time away from the source region in the dayside sector, the wave power was dissipated to of its original level. Liu, Nigang; Su, Zhenpeng; Gao, Zhonglei; Zheng, Huinan; Wang, Yuming; Wang, Shui; Miyoshi, Yoshizumi; Shinohara, Iku; Kasahara, Yoshiya; Tsuchiya, Fuminori; Kumamoto, Atsushi; Matsuda, Shoya; Shoji, Masafumi; Mitani, Takefumi; Takashima, Takeshi; Kazama, Yoichi; Wang, Bo-Jhou; Wang, Shiang-Yu; Jun, Chae-Woo; Chang, Tzu-Fang; W. Y. Tam, Sunny; Kasahara, Satoshi; Yokota, Shoichiro; Keika, Kunihiro; Hori, Tomoaki; Matsuoka, Ayako; Published by: Geophysical Research Letters Published on: YEAR: 2020 DOI: 10.1029/2019GL086040 Plasmaspheric Hiss; Radiation belt; plasmasphere; wave generation; wave propagation; Wave Dissipation |
| 2019 |
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Two wave packets of second harmonic poloidal Pc 4 waves with a wave frequency of ~7 mHz were detected by Van Allen Probe A at a radial distance of ~5.8 RE and magnetic local time of 13 hr near the magnetic equator, where plasmaspheric refilling was in progress. Proton butterfly distributions with energy dispersions were also measured at the same time; the proton fluxes at 10-30 keV oscillated with the same frequency as the Pc 4 waves. Using the ion sounding technique, we find that the Pc 4 waves propagated eastward with an azimuthal wave number (m number) of ~220 and ~260 for each wave packet, respectively. Such eastward propagating high-m (m > 100) waves were seldom reported in previous studies. The condition of drift-bounce resonance is well satisfied for the estimated m numbers in both events. Proton phase space density was also examined to understand the wave excitation mechanism. We obtained temporal variations of the energy and radial gradient of the proton phase space density, and find that temporal intensification of the radial gradient can generate the two wave packets. The cold electron density around the spacecraft apogee was > 100 cm-3 in the present events, and hence the eigen-frequency of the Pc 4 waves became lower. This causes the increase of the m number which satisfies the resonance condition of drift-bounce resonance for 10-30 keV protons, and meets the condition for destabilization due to gyro-kinetic effect. Yamamoto, K.; e, Nos\; Keika, K.; Hartley, D.P.; Smith, C.W.; MacDowall, R.J.; Lanzerotti, L.J.; Mitchell, D.G.; Spence, H.E.; Reeves, G.D.; Wygant, J.R.; Bonnell, J.W.; Oimatsu, S.; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 11/2019 YEAR: 2019 DOI: 10.1029/2019JA027158 drift-bounce resonance; Geomagnetic storm; plasmasphere; ring current; substorm; ULF wave; Van Allen Probes |
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Epoch-Based Model for Stormtime Plasmapause Location The output of a plasmapause test particle (PTP) code is used to formulate a new epoch-based plasmapause model. The PTP simulation is run for an ensemble of 60 storms spanning 3 September 2012 to 28 September 2017 and having peak Dst of -60 nT or less, yielding over 7 million model plasmapause locations. Events are automatically identified and epoch times calculated relative to the respective storm peaks. Epoch analysis of the simulated plasmapause is demonstrated to be an effective method to reveal the dynamical phases of plume formation and evolution. The plasmapause radius is found to be strongly correlated with positive solar wind electric field. The epoch-binned PTP data are used to create the first analytical model of the plasmapause that explicitly includes plumes. We obtain this result by employing as basis functions our derived exact solutions for the Volland-Stern convection potential. The analytical plasmapause model depends on epoch time, for moderate and strong storms, and is specified by three main parameters: the duskside plasmapause radius and two tuning coefficients. The epoch-based analytical model is shown to agree to within 0.5 RE with nightside in situ plasmapause crossings by the Van Allen Probes on 17 March 2015. Compared to dayside plume crossings on 26 June 2000, the model agrees within 0.7 RE of radius and 0.8 RE azimuthal distance. This level of agreement is comparable to that achieved by the full dynamic PTP simulation. Goldstein, J.; De Pascuale, S.; Kurth, W.; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 05/2019 YEAR: 2019 DOI: 10.1029/2018JA025996 epoch-based model; Plasmapause; plasmasphere; plume; Van Allen Probes |
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Equatorial noise (EN) emissions are observed inside and outside the plasmapause. EN emissions are referred to as magnetosonic mode waves. Using data from Van Allen Probes and Arase, we found conversion from EN emissions to electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves in the plasmasphere and in the topside ionosphere. A low frequency part of EN emissions becomes EMIC waves through branch splitting of EN emissions, and the mode conversion from EN to EMIC waves occurs around the frequency of M/Q=2 (deuteron and/or alpha particles) cyclotron frequency. These processes result in plasmaspheric EMIC waves. We investigated the ion composition ratio by characteristic frequencies of EN emissions and EMIC waves and obtained ion composition ratios. We found that the maximum composition ratio of M/Q=2 ions is ~10\% below 3000 km. The quantitative estimation of the ion composition will contribute to improving the plasma model of the deep plasmasphere and the topside ionosphere Miyoshi, Y.; Matsuda, S.; Kurita, S.; Nomura, K.; Keika, K.; Shoji, M.; Kitamura, N.; Kasahara, Y.; Matsuoka, A.; Shinohara, I.; Shiokawa, K.; Machida, S.; Santolik, O.; Boardsen, S.A.; Horne, R.B.; Wygant, J.F.; Published by: Geophysical Research Letters Published on: 04/2019 YEAR: 2019 DOI: 10.1029/2019GL083024 Arase; EMIC; M/Q=2 ions; Magnetsonic waves; plasmasphere; Van Allen Probes |
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Satellite-based direct electric field measurements deliver crucial information for space science studies. Yet they require meticulous design and calibration. In-flight calibration of double-probe instruments is usually presented in the most common case of tenuous plasmas, where the presence of an electrostatic structure surrounding the charged spacecraft alters the geophysical electric field measurements. To account for this effect and the uncertainty in the boom length, the measured electric field is multiplied by a parameter called the shorting factor (sf). In the plasmasphere, the Debye length is very small in comparison with spacecraft dimension, and there is no shorting of the electric field measurements (sf = 1). However, the electric field induced by spacecraft motion greatly exceeds any geophysical electric field of interest in the plasmasphere. Thus, the highest level of accuracy in calibration is required. The objective of this work is to discuss the accuracy of the setting sf = 1 and therefore to examine the accuracy of Van Allen Probes electric field measurements below L = 2. We introduce a method to determine the shorting factor near perigee. It relies on the idea that the value of the geophysical electric field measured in the Earth\textquoterights rotating frame of reference is independent of whether the spacecraft is approaching perigee or past perigee, that is, it is independent of spacecraft velocity. We obtain that sf = 0.994 \textpm 0.001. The resulting margins of errors in individual electric drift measurements are of the order of \textpm0.1\% of spacecraft velocity (a few meters per second). Published by: Earth and Space Science Published on: 04/2019 YEAR: 2019 DOI: 10.1029/2018EA000550 DC electric field; double probe instrument; electric drift; plasmasphere; shorting factor; Van Allen Probes |
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This paper presents the first analysis of Van Allen Probes measurements of the cold plasma density and electric field in the inner magnetosphere to show that intervals of strong modulation at the solar rotation period occur in the locations of the outer plasmasphere and plasmapause (~0.7 RE peak-to-peak), in the large-scale electric field (~0.24 mV/m peak-to-peak), and in the cold plasma density (~250 cm-3 \textendash ~70 cm-3 peak-to-peak). Solar rotation modulation of the inner magnetosphere is more apparent in the declining phase of the solar cycle than near solar maximum. The periodicities in these parameters are compared to solar EUV irradiance, solar wind dawn-dusk electric field, and Kp. The variations in the plasmapause location at the solar rotation period anti-correlate with solar wind electric field, magnetospheric electric field, and Kp, but not with EUV irradiance, indicating that convective erosion is the dominant physical process controlling the plasmapause at these timescales. Thaller, S.; Wygant, J.; Cattell, C.; Breneman, A.; Tyler, E.; Tian, S.; Engel, A.; De Pascuale, S.; Kurth, W.; Kletzing, C.; Tears, J.; Malaspina, David; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 02/2019 YEAR: 2019 DOI: 10.1029/2018JA026365 convection electric field; inner magnetosphere; Plasmapause; plasmasphere; solar rotation; Van Allen Probes |
| 2018 |
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Simulations of Van Allen Probes Plasmaspheric Electron Density Observations We simulate equatorial plasmaspheric electron densities using a physics-based model (Cold PLasma, CPL; used in the ring current-atmosphere interactions model) of the source and loss processes of refilling and erosion driven by empirical inputs. The performance of CPL is evaluated against in situ measurements by the Van Allen Probes (Radiation Belt Storm Probes) for two events: the 31 May to 5 June and 15 to 20 January 2013 geomagnetic storms observed in the premidnight and postmidnight magnetic local time (MLT) sectors, respectively. Overall, CPL reproduces the radial extent of the plasmasphere to within a mean absolute difference of urn:x-wiley:jgra:media:jgra54637:jgra54637-math-0001 L. The model electric field responsible for E \texttimes B convection and the parameterization of geomagnetic conditions (under the Kp-index and solar wind properties) implemented by CPL did not account for localized enhancements in the duskward electric field during increased activity. Rather, it was found to be largely dependent on the measure of the quiet time background. This property indicates that the agreement between these simulations and observations does not account for the complete set of physical processes during extreme (strong or weak) geomagnetic conditions impacting the plasmasphere. Nevertheless, at the presented resolution of the model CPL does provide good agreement in reproducing Radiation Belt Storm Probes observations of plasmaspheric density and plasmapause location. De Pascuale, S.; Jordanova, V.; Goldstein, J.; Kletzing, C.; Kurth, W.; Thaller, S.; Wygant, J.; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 11/2018 YEAR: 2018 DOI: 10.1029/2018JA025776 convection; observations; plasmasphere; RBSP; simulation; Van Allen Probes |
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Using Van Allen Probes\textquoteright observations and established plasmapause location (Lpp) models, we investigate the relationship between the location of the initial enhancement (IE) of energetic electrons and the innermost (among all magnetic local time sectors) Lpp over five intense storm periods. Our study reveals that the IE events for 30 keV to 2MeV electrons always occurred outside of the innermost Lpp. On average, the inner extent of the IE events (LIE) for <800 keV electrons was closer to the innermost Lpp when compared to the LIE for >800 keV electrons that was found consistently at ~1.5 RE outside of the innermost Lpp. The IE of 10s keV electrons was observed before the IE of 100s keV electrons, and the IE of >800 keV electrons was observed on average 12.6\textpm2.3 hours after the occurrence of the earliest IE event. In addition, we report an overall electron (~30 keV to ~2 MeV) flux increase outside the plasmasphere during the selected storm periods, in contrast to the little change of energy spectrum evolution inside the plasmasphere; this demonstrates the important role of the plasmasphere in shaping energetic electron dynamics. Our investigation of the LIE-Lpp relationship also provides insights into the underlying physical processes responsible for the dynamics of tens keV to >MeV electrons. Khoo, Leng; Li, Xinlin; Zhao, Hong; Sarris, Theodore; Xiang, Zheng; Zhang, Kun; Kellerman, Adam; Blake, Bernard; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 10/2018 YEAR: 2018 DOI: 10.1029/2018JA026074 energetic electron; enhancements; plasmasphere; Radiation belt; Van Allen Probes |
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Determining Plasmaspheric Densities from Observations of Plasmaspheric Hiss A new method of inferring electron plasma densities inside of the plasmasphere is presented. Utilizing observations of the electric and magnetic field wave power associated with plasmaspheric hiss, coupled with the cold plasma dispersion relation, permits calculation of the plasma density. This methodology yields a density estimate for each frequency channel and time interval where plasmaspheric hiss is observed and is shown to yield results that are generally in agreement with densities determined via other methods. A statistical calibration is performed against the density from the upper hybrid line, accounting for both systematic offsets and distribution scatter in the hiss-inferred densities. This calculation and calibration methodology provides accurate density estimates, both statistically and for individual events. These calibrated calculated densities are not subject to the same upper limit as densities inferred via other methodologies, thus permitting density estimates to be extended to lower L shells. This is of particular interest given that fpe/fce ratios indicate favorable conditions for efficient pitch-angle and energy diffusion in this region. Since hiss is almost always observable inside of the plasmasphere, the hiss-inferred densities are available for the majority of time periods, with 79\% data coverage for L < 4. This compares to 33\textendash37\% data coverage for other methods of inferring plasma densities. Due to the high-accuracy of these hiss-inferred densities and their plentiful availability, this methodology provides a viable alternative of calculating event-specific densities, and therefore diffusion coefficients, as opposed to relying on empirical models for periods when densities from other sources are not available. Hartley, D.; Kletzing, C.; De Pascuale, S.; Kurth, W.; ik, O.; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 08/2018 YEAR: 2018 DOI: 10.1029/2018JA025658 Density; EMFISIS; plasmasphere; Plasmaspheric Hiss; Van Allen Probes |
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Global model of plasmaspheric hiss from multiple satellite observations We present a global model of plasmaspheric hiss, using data from eight satellites, extending the coverage and improving the statistics of existing models. We use geomagnetic activity dependent templates to separate plasmaspheric hiss from chorus. In the region 22-14 MLT the boundary between plasmaspheric hiss and chorus moves to lower L* values with increasing geomagnetic activity. The average wave intensity of plasmaspheric hiss is largest on the dayside and increases with increasing geomagnetic activity from midnight through dawn to dusk. Plasmaspheric hiss is most intense and spatially extended in the 200-500 Hz frequency band during active conditions, 400 Meredith, Nigel; Horne, Richard; Kersten, Tobias; Li, Wen; Bortnik, Jacob; Sicard-Piet, elica; Yearby, Keith; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 05/2018 YEAR: 2018 DOI: 10.1029/2018JA025226 plasmasphere; Plasmaspheric Hiss; Radiation belts; Van Allen Probes |
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Magnetic activity dependence of the electric drift below L=3 More than two years of magnetic and electric field measurements by the Van Allen Probes are analyzed with the objective of determining the average effects of magnetic activity on the electric drift below L=3. The study finds that an increase in magnetospheric convection leads to a decrease in the magnitude of the azimuthal component of the electric drift, especially in the night-side. The amplitude of the slowdown is a function of L, local time MLT, and Kp, in a pattern consistent with the storm-time dynamics of the ionosphere and thermosphere. To a lesser extent, magnetic activity also alters the average radial component of the electric drift below L=3. A global picture for the average variations of the electric drift with Kp is provided as a function of L and MLT. It is the first time that the signature of the ionospheric disturbance dynamo is observed in near-equatorial electric drift measurements. Published by: Geophysical Research Letters Published on: 04/2018 YEAR: 2018 DOI: 10.1029/2018GL077873 electric drift; electric field; Inner radiation belt; ionospheric disturbance dynamo; plasmasphere; subcorotation; Van Allen Probes |
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Van Allen Probes Observations of Second Harmonic Poloidal Standing Alfv\ en Waves Long-lasting second-harmonic poloidal standing Alfv\ en waves (P2 waves) were observed by the twin Van Allen Probes (Radiation Belt Storm Probes, or RBSP) spacecraft in the noon sector of the plasmasphere, when the spacecraft were close to the magnetic equator and had a small azimuthal separation. Oscillations of proton fluxes at the wave frequency (\~10 mHz) were also observed in the energy (W) range 50\textendash300 keV. Using the unique RBSP orbital configuration, we determined the phase delay of magnetic field perturbations between the spacecraft with a 2nπ ambiguity. We then used finite gyroradius effects seen in the proton flux oscillations to remove the ambiguity and found that the waves were propagating westward with an azimuthal wave number (m) of \~-200. The phase of the proton flux oscillations relative to the radial component of the wave magnetic field progresses with W, crossing 0 (northward moving protons) or 180\textdegree (southward moving protons) at W \~ 120 keV. This feature is explained by drift-bounce resonance (mωd \~ ωb) of \~120 keV protons with the waves, where ωd and ωb are the proton drift and bounce frequencies. At lower energies, the proton phase space density ( math formula) exhibits a bump-on-tail structure with math formula occurring in the 1\textendash10 keV energy range. This math formula is unstable and can excite P2 waves through bounce resonance (ω \~ ωb), where ω is the wave frequency. Takahashi, Kazue; Oimatsu, Satoshi; e, Masahito; Min, Kyungguk; Claudepierre, Seth; Chan, Anthony; Wygant, John; Kim, Hyomin; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 01/2018 YEAR: 2018 DOI: 10.1002/2017JA024869 bounce and drift-bounce resonances; energetic protons; plasmasphere; poloidal ULF waves; second harmonic; Van Allen Probes |
| 2017 |
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Empirical modeling of the plasmasphere dynamics using neural networks We propose a new empirical model for reconstructing the global dynamics of the cold plasma density distribution based only on solar wind data and geomagnetic indices. Utilizing the density database obtained using the NURD (Neural-network-based Upper hybrid Resonance Determination) algorithm for the period of October 1, 2012 - July 1, 2016, in conjunction with solar wind data and geomagnetic indices, we develop a neural network model that is capable of globally reconstructing the dynamics of the cold plasma density distribution for 2<=L<=6 and all local times. We validate and test the model by measuring its performance on independent datasets withheld from the training set and by comparing the model predicted global evolution with global images of He+ distribution in the Earth\textquoterights plasmasphere from the IMAGE Extreme UltraViolet (EUV) instrument. We identify the parameters that best quantify the plasmasphere dynamics by training and comparing multiple neural networks with different combinations of input parameters (geomagnetic indices, solar wind data, and different durations of their time history). The optimal model is based on the 96-hour time history of Kp, AE, SYM-H, and F10.7 indices. The model successfully reproduces erosion of the plasmasphere on the night side and plume formation and evolution. We demonstrate results of both local and global plasma density reconstruction. This study illustrates how global dynamics can be reconstructed from local in-situ observations by using machine learning techniques. Zhelavskaya, Irina; Shprits, Yuri; c, Maria; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 10/2017 YEAR: 2017 DOI: 10.1002/2017JA024406 inner magnetosphere; Machine learning; Models; neural networks; plasmasphere; Van Allen Probes |
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Plasmaspheric rotation is known to lag behind Earth rotation. The causes for this corotation lag are not yet fully understood. We have used more than two years of Van Allen Probe observations to compare the electric drift measured below L~2 with the predictions of a general model. In the first step, a rigid corotation of the ionosphere with the solid Earth was assumed in the model. The results of the model-observation comparison are twofold: (1) radially, the model explains the average observed geographic variability of the electric drift; (2) azimuthally, the model fails to explain the full amplitude of the observed corotation lag. In the second step, ionospheric corotation was modulated in the model by thermospheric winds, as given by the latest version of the Horizontal Wind Model (HWM14). Accounting for the thermospheric corotation lag at ionospheric E-region altitudes results in significantly better agreement between the model and the observations. Lejosne, ène; Maus, Stefan; Mozer, F.; Published by: Geophysical Research Letters Published on: 07/2017 YEAR: 2017 DOI: 10.1002/2017GL074862 corotation; electric field; Ionosphere; plasmasphere; thermosphere; Van Allen Probes; wind |
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Externally driven plasmaspheric ULF waves observed by the Van Allen Probes We analyze data acquired by the Van Allen Probes on 8 November 2012, during a period of extended low geomagnetic activity, to gain new insight into plasmaspheric ultralow frequency (ULF) waves. The waves exhibited strong spectral power in the 5\textendash40 mHz band and included multiharmonic toroidal waves visible up to the eleventh harmonic, unprecedented in the plasmasphere. During this wave activity, the interplanetary magnetic field cone angle was small, suggesting that the waves were driven by broadband compressional ULF waves originating in the foreshock region. This source mechanism is supported by the tailward propagation of the compressional magnetic field perturbations at a phase velocity of a few hundred kilometers per second that is determined by the cross-phase analysis of data from the two spacecraft. We also find that the coherence and phase delay of the azimuthal components of the magnetic field from the two spacecraft strongly depend on the radial separation of the spacecraft and attribute this feature to field line resonance effects. Finally, using the observed toroidal wave frequencies, we estimate the plasma mass density for L = 2.6\textendash5.8. By comparing the mass density with the electron number density that is estimated from the spectrum of plasma waves, we infer that the plasma was dominated by H+ ions and was distributed uniformly along the magnetic field lines. The electron density is higher than the prediction of saturated plasmasphere models, and this \textquotedblleftsuper saturated\textquotedblright plasmasphere and the uniform ion distribution are consistent with the low geomagnetic activity that prevailed. Takahashi, Kazue; Denton, Richard; Kurth, William; Kletzing, Craig; Wygant, John; Bonnell, John; Dai, Lei; Min, Kyungguk; Smith, Charles; MacDowall, Robert; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 01/2017 YEAR: 2017 DOI: 10.1002/2014JA020373 multispacecraft observation; plasmasphere; ULF waves; Van Allen Probes |
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Temperature of the plasmasphere from Van Allen Probes HOPE Genestreti, K.; Goldstein, J.; Corley, G.; Farner, W.; Kistler, L.; Larsen, B.; Mouikis, C.; Ramnarace, C.; Skoug, R.; Turner, N.; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 01/2017 YEAR: 2017 DOI: 10.1002/2016JA023047 |
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Temperature of the plasmasphere from Van Allen Probes HOPE We introduce two novel techniques for estimating temperatures of very low energy space plasmas using, primarily, in situ data from an electrostatic analyzer mounted on a charged and moving spacecraft. The techniques are used to estimate proton temperatures during intervals where the bulk of the ion plasma is well below the energy bandpass of the analyzer. Both techniques assume that the plasma may be described by a one-dimensional math formula drifting Maxwellian and that the potential field and motion of the spacecraft may be accounted for in the simplest possible manner, i.e., by a linear shift of coordinates. The first technique involves the application of a constrained theoretical fit to a measured distribution function. The second technique involves the comparison of total and partial-energy number densities. Both techniques are applied to Van Allen Probes Helium, Oxygen, Proton, and Electron (HOPE) observations of the proton component of the plasmasphere during two orbits on 15 January 2013. We find that the temperatures calculated from these two order-of-magnitude-type techniques are in good agreement with typical ranges of the plasmaspheric temperature calculated using retarding potential analyzer-based measurements\textemdashgenerally between 0.2 and 2 eV (2000\textendash20,000 K). We also find that the temperature is correlated with L shell and hot plasma density and is negatively correlated with the cold plasma density. We posit that the latter of these three relationships may be indicative of collisional or wave-driven heating of the plasmasphere in the ring current overlap region. We note that these techniques may be easily applied to similar data sets or used for a variety of purposes. Genestreti, K.; Goldstein, J.; Corley, G.; Farner, W.; Kistler, L.; Larsen, B.; Mouikis, C.; Ramnarace, C.; Skoug, R.; Turner, N.; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 01/2017 YEAR: 2017 DOI: 10.1002/jgra.v122.110.1002/2016JA023047 |
| 2016 |
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The electric drift E \texttimes B/B2 plays a fundamental role for the description of plasma flow and particle acceleration. Yet it is not well-known in the inner belt and slot region because of a lack of reliable in situ measurements. In this article, we present an analysis of the electric drifts measured below L ~ 3 by both Van Allen Probes A and B from September 2012 to December 2014. The objective is to determine the typical components of the equatorial electric drift in both radial and azimuthal directions. The dependences of the components on radial distance, magnetic local time, and geographic longitude are examined. The results from Van Allen Probe A agree with Van Allen Probe B. They show, among other things, a typical corotation lag of the order of 5 to 10\% below L ~ 2.6, as well as a slight radial transport of the order of 20 m s-1. The magnetic local time dependence of the electric drift is consistent with that of the ionosphere wind dynamo below L ~ 2 and with that of a solar wind-driven convection electric field above L ~ 2. A secondary longitudinal dependence of the electric field is also found. Therefore, this work also demonstrates that the instruments on board Van Allen Probes are able to perform accurate measurements of the electric drift below L ~ 3. Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 12/2016 YEAR: 2016 DOI: 10.1002/2016JA023613 electric drift; electric field; Inner radiation belt; plasmasphere; subcorotation; Van Allen Probes |
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Hiss or Equatorial Noise? Ambiguities in Analyzing Suprathermal Ion Plasma Wave Resonance Previous studies have shown that low energy ion heating occurs in the magnetosphere due to strong equatorial noise emission. Observations from the Van Allen Probes Helium Oxygen Proton Electron (HOPE) instrument recently determined there was a depletion in the 1-10 eV ion population in the post-midnight sector of Earth during quiet times at L < 3. The diurnal variation of equatorially mirroring 1-10 eV H+ ions between 2 < L < 3 is connected with similar diurnal variation in the electric field component of plasma waves ranging between 150 and 600 Hz. Measurements from the Van Allen Probes Electric and Magnetic Field Instrument Suite and Integrated Science (EMFISIS) data set are used to analyze waves of this frequency in near-Earth space. However, when we examine the polarization of the waves in the 150 to 600 Hz range in the equatorial plane, the majority are right-hand polarized plasmaspheric hiss waves. The 1-10 eV H+ equatorially mirroring population does not interact with right hand waves, despite a strong statistical relationship suggesting the two is linked. We present evidence supporting the relationship, both in our own work and the literature, but we ultimately conclude that the 1-10 eV H+ heating is not related to the strong enhancement of 150 to 600 Hz waves. Sarno-Smith, Lois; Liemohn, Michael; Skoug, Ruth; ik, Ondrej; Morley, Steven; Breneman, Aaron; Larsen, Brian; Reeves, Geoff; Wygant, John; Hospodarsky, George; Kletzing, Craig; Moldwin, Mark; Katus, Roxanne; Zou, Shasha; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 09/2016 YEAR: 2016 DOI: 10.1002/2016JA022975 equatorial noise; Low Energy Ions; plasma waves; plasmasphere; Plasmaspheric Hiss; Van Allen Probes |
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The distribution of plasmaspheric hiss wave power with respect to plasmapause location In this work, Van Allen Probes data are used to derive terrestrial plasmaspheric hiss wave power distributions organized by (1) distance away from the plasmapause and (2) plasmapause distance from Earth. This approach is in contrast to the traditional organization of hiss wave power by L parameter and geomagnetic activity. Plasmapause-sorting reveals previously unreported and highly repeatable features of the hiss wave power distribution, including a regular spatial distribution of hiss power with respect to the plasmapause, a standoff distance between peak hiss power and the plasmapause, and frequency-dependent spatial localization of hiss. Identification and quantification of these features can provide insight into hiss generation and propagation and will facilitate improved parameterization of hiss wave power in predictive simulations of inner magnetosphere dynamics. Malaspina, David; Jaynes, Allison; e, Cory; Bortnik, Jacob; Thaller, Scott; Ergun, Robert; Kletzing, Craig; Wygant, John; Published by: Geophysical Research Letters Published on: 08/2016 YEAR: 2016 DOI: 10.1002/2016GL069982 hiss; plasma waves; plasmasphere; Radiation belts; Van Allen Probes |
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Propagation of ULF waves from the upstream region to the midnight sector of the inner magnetosphere Ultralow frequency (ULF) waves generated in the ion foreshock are a well-known source of Pc3-Pc4 waves (7\textendash100 mHz) observed in the dayside magnetosphere. We use data acquired on 10 April 2013 by multiple spacecraft to demonstrate that ULF waves of upstream origin can propagate to the midnight sector of the inner magnetosphere. At 1130\textendash1730 UT on the selected day, the two Van Allen Probes spacecraft and the geostationary ETS-VIII satellite detected compressional 20 to 40 mHz magnetic field oscillations between L \~ 4 and L \~ 7 in the midnight sector, along with other spacecraft located closer to noon. Upstream origin of the oscillations is concluded from the wave frequency that matches a theoretical model, globally coherent amplitude modulation, and duskward propagation that is consistent with expected entry of the upstream wave energy through the dawnside flank under the observed interplanetary magnetic field. The oscillations are attributed to magnetohydrodynamic fast-mode waves based on their propagation velocity of \~300 km/s and the relationship between the electric and magnetic field perturbations. The magnitude of the azimuthal wave number is estimated to be \~30. There is no evidence that the oscillations propagated to the ground in the midnight sector. Takahashi, Kazue; Hartinger, Michael; Malaspina, David; Smith, Charles; Koga, Kiyokazu; Singer, Howard; ühauff, Dennis; Baishev, Dmitry; Moiseev, Alexey; Yoshikawa, Akimasa; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 08/2016 YEAR: 2016 DOI: 10.1002/2016JA022958 midnight sector; Pc3 waves; plasmasphere; upstream waves; Van Allen Probes |
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Local time variations of high-energy plasmaspheric ion pitch angle distributions Recent observations from the Van Allen Probes Helium Oxygen Proton Electron (HOPE) instrument revealed a persistent depletion in the 1\textendash10 eV ion population in the postmidnight sector during quiet times in the 2 < L < 3 region. This study explores the source of this ion depletion by developing an algorithm to classify 26 months of pitch angle distributions measured by the HOPE instrument. We correct the HOPE low energy fluxes for spacecraft potential using measurements from the Electric Field and Waves (EFW) instrument. A high percentage of low count pitch angle distributions is found in the postmidnight sector coupled with a low percentage of ion distributions peaked perpendicular to the field line. A peak in loss cone distributions in the dusk sector is also observed. These results characterize the nature of the dearth of the near 90\textdegree pitch angle 1\textendash10 eV ion population in the near-Earth postmidnight sector. This study also shows, for the first time, low-energy HOPE differential number fluxes corrected for spacecraft potential and 1\textendash10 eV H+ fluxes at different levels of geomagnetic activity. Sarno-Smith, Lois; Liemohn, Michael; Skoug, Ruth; Larsen, Brian; Moldwin, Mark; Katus, Roxanne; Wygant, John; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 07/2016 YEAR: 2016 DOI: 10.1002/2015JA022301 algorithm; Magnetosphere; pitch angles; plasmasphere; spacecraft potential corrections; Van Allen Probes |
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We have used electric and magnetic measurements by Van Allen Probe B from 2013 to 2014 to examine the equatorial electric drift E \texttimes B/B2 at one field line coordinate set to Arecibo\textquoterights incoherent scatter radar location (L = 1.43). We report on departures from the traditional picture of corotational motion with the Earth in two ways: (1) the rotational angular speed is found to be 10\% smaller than the rotational angular speed of the Earth, in agreement with previous works on plasmaspheric notches, and (2) the equatorial electric drift displays a dependence in magnetic local time, with a pattern consistent with the mapping of the Arecibo ionosphere dynamo electric fields along equipotential magnetic field lines. The electric fields due to the ionosphere dynamo are therefore expected to play a significant role when discussing, for instance, the structure and dynamics of the plasmasphere or the transport of trapped particles in the inner belt. Published by: Geophysical Research Letters Published on: 07/2016 YEAR: 2016 DOI: 10.1002/2016GL069875 corotation; electric field; Inner radiation belt; Ionosphere; plasmasphere; Van Allen Probes |
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Determination of the Earth\textquoterights plasmapause location from the CE-3 EUVC images The Moon-based Extreme Ultraviolet Camera (EUVC) aboard China\textquoterights Chang\textquoterighte-3 (CE-3) mission has successfully imaged the entire Earth\textquoterights plasmasphere for the first time from the side views on lunar surface. An EUVC image on 21 April 2014 is used in this study to demonstrate the characteristics and configurations of the Moon-based EUV imaging and to illustrate the determination algorithm of the plasmapause locations on the magnetic equator. The plasmapause locations determined from all the available EUVC images with the Minimum L Algorithm are quantitatively compared with those extracted from in situ observations (Defense Meteorological Satellite Program, Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms, and Radiation Belt Storm Probes). Excellent agreement between the determined plasmapauses seen by EUVC and the extracted ones from other satellites indicates the reliability of the Moon-based EUVC images as well as the determination algorithm. This preliminary study provides an important basis for future investigation of the dynamics of the plasmasphere with the Moon-based EUVC imaging. He, Fei; Zhang, Xiao-Xin; Chen, Bo; Fok, Mei-Ching; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 01/2016 YEAR: 2016 DOI: 10.1002/2015JA021863 Chang\textquoterighte-3; EUV imaging; Plasmapause; plasmasphere; reconstruction |
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We report variations in the propagation of the H+ band ion cyclotron whistlers observed by Van Allen Probe A. Ion cyclotron whistlers are one of the EMIC (electromagnetic ion cyclotron) waves generated by mode conversion from lightning whistlers. Crossover frequency is an important frequency for the ion cyclotron whistlers, which is a function of the variations in the local heavy-ion composition. We surveyed waveform data obtained by the Electric and Magnetic Field Instrument and Integrated Science instrument and found that 3461 H+ band ion cyclotron whistlers were observed from 572 km to 5992 km in altitude. The main finding is that the crossover frequencies of the observed events decreased with increasing altitude. These results support the hypothesis that the total heavy-ion density decreases with increasing altitude. Furthermore, in 96\% of all observed events, the crossover frequencies exceeded inline image, which suggests that the EMIC dispersion relation contains a frequency gap of around inline image. Matsuda, Shoya; Kasahara, Yoshiya; Kletzing, Craig; Published by: Geophysical Research Letters Published on: 01/2016 YEAR: 2016 DOI: 10.1002/2015GL066893 EMIC wave; ion cyclotron whistler; plasmasphere; heavy ions; Van Allen Probes |
| 2015 |
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The power spectrum of the compressional component of magnetic fields observed by the Van Allen Probes spacecraft near the magnetospheric equator in the dayside plasmasphere sometimes exhibits regularly spaced multiple peaks at frequencies below 50 mHz. We show by detailed analysis of events observed on two separate days in early 2014 that the frequencies change smoothly with the radial distance of the spacecraft and appear at or very near the frequencies of the odd harmonics of mutiharmonic toroidal mode standing Alfv\ en waves seen in the azimuthal component of the magnetic field. Even though the compressional component had a low amplitude on one of the selected days, its spectral properties are highlighted by computing the ratio of the spectral powers of time series data obtained from two spatially separated Van Allen Probes spacecraft. The spectral similarity of the compressional and azimuthal components suggests that the compressional component contains field line resonance characteristics. Takahashi, Kazue; Waters, Colin; Glassmeier, Karl-Heinz; Kletzing, Craig; Kurth, William; Smith, Charles; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 11/2015 YEAR: 2015 DOI: 10.1002/2015JA021780 Compressional oscillations; Field line resonance; Pc3-Pc4 band; plasmasphere; Van Allen Probes |
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Simultaneous Pi2 observations by the Van Allen Probes inside and outside the plasmasphere Plasmaspheric virtual resonance (PVR) model has been proposed as one of source mechanisms for low-latitude Pi2 pulsations. Since PVR-associated Pi2 pulsations are not localized inside the plasmasphere, simultaneous multipoint observations inside and outside the plasmasphere require to test the PVR model. Until now, however, there are few studies using simultaneous multisatellite observations inside and outside the plasmasphere for understanding the radial structure of Pi2 pulsation. In this study, we focus on the Pi2 event observed at low-latitude Bohyun (BOH, L = 1.35) ground station in South Korea in the postmidnight sector (magnetic local time (MLT) = 3.0) for the interval from 1730 to 1900 UT on 12 March 2013. By using electron density derived from the frequency of the upper hybrid waves detected at Van Allen Probe-A (VAP-A) and Van Allen Probe-B (VAP-B), the plasmapause is identified. At the time of the Pi2 event, VAP-A was outside the plasmasphere near midnight (00:55 MLT and L = ~6), while VAP-B was inside the plasmasphere in the postmidnight sector (02:15 MLT and L = ~5). VAP-B observed oscillations in the compressional magnetic field component (Bz) and the dawn-to-dusk electric field component (Ey), having high coherence with the BOH Pi2 pulsation in the H component. The H - Bz and H - Ey cross phases at VAP-B inside the plasmasphere were near -180\textdegree and -90\textdegree, respectively.These phase relationships among Bz, Ey, and H are consistent with a radially standing oscillation of the fundamental mode reported in previous studies. At VAP-A outside the plasmasphere, Bz oscillations were highly correlated with BOH Pi2 pulsations with ~-180\textdegree phase delay, and the H-Ey cross phase is near -90\textdegree. From these two-satellite observations, we suggest that the fundamental PVR mode is directly detected by VAP-A and VAP-B. Ghamry, E.; Kim, K.-H.; Kwon, H.-J.; Lee, D.-H.; Park, J.-S.; Choi, J.; Hyun, K.; Kurth, W.; Kletzing, C.; Wygant, J.; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 05/2015 YEAR: 2015 DOI: 10.1002/2015JA021095 Pi2; plasmasphere; Plasmaspheric virtual resonance; Van Allen Probes |
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Statistical characteristic of EMIC waves: Van Allen Probe observations Utilizing the data from the magnetometer instrument which is a part of the Electric and Magnetic Field Instrument Suite and Integrated Science (EMFISIS) instrument suite onboard the Van Allen Probe A from Sep. 2012 to Apr. 2014, when the apogee of the satellite has passed all the MLT sectors, we obtain the statistical distribution characteristic of EMIC waves in the inner magnetosphere over all local times from L=3 to L=6. Compared with the previous statistical results about EMIC waves, the occurrence rates of EMIC waves distribute relatively uniform in the MLT sectors in lower L-shells. On the other hand, in higher L-shells, there are indeed some peaks of the occurrence rate for the EMIC waves, especially in the noon, dusk and night sectors. EMIC waves appear at lower L-shells in the dawn sector than in other sectors. In the lower L-shells (L<4), the occurrence rates of EMIC waves are significant in the dawn sector. This phenomenon may result from the distribution characteristic of the plasmasphere. The location of the plasmapause is usually lower in the dawn sector than that in other sectors, and the plasmapause is considered to be the favored region for the generation of EMIC waves. In higher L-shells (L>4) the occurrence rates of EMIC waves are most significant in the dusk sector, implying the important role of the plasmapause or plasmaspheric plume in generating EMIC waves. We have also investigated the distribution characteristics of the hydrogen band and the helium band EMIC waves. Surprisingly, in the inner magnetosphere, the hydrogen band EMIC waves occur more frequently than the helium band EMIC waves. Both them have peaks of occurrence rate in noon, dusk and night sectors, and the hydrogen band EMIC waves have more obvious peaks than the helium band EMIC waves in the night sector, while the helium band EMIC waves are more concentrated than the hydrogen band EMIC waves in the dusk sector. Both them occur significantly in the noon sector, which implies the important role of the solar wind dynamic pressure. Wang, Dedong; Yuan, Zhigang; Yu, Xiongdong; Deng, Xiaohua; Zhou, Meng; Huang, Shiyong; Li, Haimeng; Wang, Zhenzhen; Qiao, Zheng; Kletzing, C.; Wygant, J.; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 05/2015 YEAR: 2015 DOI: 10.1002/2015JA021089 |
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Using the Van Allen Probes we investigate the enhancement in the large scale duskward convection electric field during the geomagnetic storm (Dst ~ -120 nT) on June 1, 2013 and its role in ring current ion transport and energization, and plasmasphere erosion. During this storm, enhancements of ~1-2 mV/m in the duskward electric field in the co-rotating frame are observed down to L shells as low as ~2.3. A simple model consisting of a dipole magnetic field and constant, azimuthally westward, electric field is used to calculate the earthward and westward drift of 90\textdegree pitch angle ions. This model is applied to determine how far earthward ions can drift while remaining on Earth\textquoterights night side, given the strength and duration of the convection electric field. The calculation based on this simple model indicates that the enhanced duskward electric field is of sufficient intensity and duration to transport ions from a range of initial locations and initial energies characteristic of (though not observed by the Van Allen Probes) the earthward edge of the plasma sheet during active times ( L ~ 6\textendash10 and ~1-20 keV) to the observed location of the 58\textendash267 keV ion population, chosen as representative of the ring current (L ~3.5 \textendash 5.8). According to the model calculation, this transportation should be concurrent with an energization to the range observed, ~58-267 keV. Clear coincidence between the electric field enhancement and both plasmasphere erosion and ring current ion (58\textendash267 keV) pressure enhancements are presented. We show for the first time, nearly simultaneous enhancements in the duskward convection electric field, plasmasphere erosion, and increased pressure of 58\textendash267 keV ring current ions. These 58\textendash267 keV ions have energies that are consistent with what they are expected to pick up by gradient B drifting across the electric field. These observations strongly suggest that we are observing the electric field that energizes the ions and produces the erosion of the plasmasphere. Thaller, S.; Wygant, J.; Dai, L.; Breneman, A.W.; Kersten, K.; Cattell, C.A.; Bonnell, J.W.; Fennell, J.F.; Gkioulidou, Matina; Kletzing, C.A.; De Pascuale, S.; Hospodarsky, G.B.; Bounds, S.; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 05/2015 YEAR: 2015 DOI: 10.1002/2014JA020875 electric field; inner magnetosphere; plasma convection; plasmasphere; ring current; Van Allen Probes |
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Postmidnight depletion of the high-energy tail of the quiet plasmasphere The Van Allen Probes Helium Oxygen Proton Electron (HOPE) instrument measures the high-energy tail of the thermal plasmasphere allowing study of topside ionosphere and inner magnetosphere coupling. We statistically analyze a 22 month period of HOPE data, looking at quiet times with a Kp index of less than 3. We investigate the high-energy range of the plasmasphere, which consists of ions at energies between 1 and 10 eV and contains approximately 5\% of total plasmaspheric density. Both the fluxes and partial plasma densities over this energy range show H+ is depleted the most in the postmidnight sector (1\textendash4 magnetic local time), followed by O+ and then He+. The relative depletion of each species across the postmidnight sector is not ordered by mass, which reveals ionospheric influence. We compare our results with keV energy electron data from HOPE and the Van Allen Probes Electric Fields and Waves instrument spacecraft potential to rule out spacecraft charging. Our conclusion is that the postmidnight ion disappearance is due to diurnal ionospheric temperature variation and charge exchange processes. Sarno-Smith, Lois; Liemohn, Michael; Katus, Roxanne; Skoug, Ruth; Larsen, Brian; Thomsen, Michelle; Wygant, John; Moldwin, Mark; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 03/2015 YEAR: 2015 DOI: 10.1002/2014JA020682 ion composition; Ionosphere; plasmasphere; postmidnight; quiet time magnetosphere; Van Allen Probes |
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EMIC waves and plasmaspheric and plume density: CRRES results Electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves frequently occur during geomagnetic storms, specifically during the main phase and 3\textendash6 days following the minimum Sym - H value. EMIC waves contribute to the loss of ring current ions and radiation belt MeV electrons. Recent studies have suggested that cold plasma density structures found inside the plasmasphere and plasmaspheric plumes are important for the generation and propagation of EMIC waves. During the CRRES mission, 913 EMIC wave events and 124 geomagnetic storms were identified. In this study we compare the quiet time cold plasma density to the cold plasma density measured during EMIC wave events across different geomagnetic conditions. We found statistically that EMIC waves occurred in regions of enhanced densities. EMIC waves were, on average, not associated with large local negative density gradients. Halford, A.; Fraser, B.; Morley, S.; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 03/2015 YEAR: 2015 DOI: 10.1002/2014JA020338 EMIC waves; Geomagnetic storms; plasmasphere; plasmaspheric plumes |
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Formation of the oxygen torus in the inner magnetosphere: Van Allen Probes observations We study the formation process of an oxygen torus during the 12\textendash15 November 2012 magnetic storm, using the magnetic field and plasma wave data obtained by Van Allen Probes. We estimate the local plasma mass density (ρL) and the local electron number density (neL) from the resonant frequencies of standing Alfv\ en waves and the upper hybrid resonance band. The average ion mass (M) can be calculated by M \~ ρL/neL under the assumption of quasi-neutrality of plasma. During the storm recovery phase, both Probe A and Probe B observe the oxygen torus at L = 3.0\textendash4.0 and L = 3.7\textendash4.5, respectively, on the morning side. The oxygen torus has M = 4.5\textendash8 amu and extends around the plasmapause that is identified at L\~3.2\textendash3.9. We find that during the initial phase, M is 4\textendash7 amu throughout the plasma trough and remains at \~1 amu in the plasmasphere, implying that ionospheric O+ ions are supplied into the inner magnetosphere already in the initial phase of the magnetic storm. Numerical calculation under a decrease of the convection electric field reveals that some of thermal O+ ions distributed throughout the plasma trough are trapped within the expanded plasmasphere, whereas some of them drift around the plasmapause on the dawnside. This creates the oxygen torus spreading near the plasmapause, which is consistent with the Van Allen Probes observations. We conclude that the oxygen torus identified in this study favors the formation scenario of supplying O+ in the inner magnetosphere during the initial phase and subsequent drift during the recovery phase. e, Nos\; Oimatsu, S.; Keika, K.; Kletzing, C.; Kurth, W.; De Pascuale, S.; Smith, C.; MacDowall, R.; Nakano, S.; Reeves, G.; Spence, H.; Larsen, B.; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 02/2015 YEAR: 2015 DOI: 10.1002/2014JA020593 inner magnetosphere; magnetic storm; oxygen torus; plasmasphere; ring current; ULF waves; Van Allen Probes |
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We report results of a systematic analysis of equatorial noise (EN) emissions which are also known as fast magnetosonic waves. EN occurs in the vicinity of the geomagnetic equator at frequencies between the local proton cyclotron frequency and the lower hybrid frequency. Our analysis is based on the data collected by the Spatio-Temporal Analysis of Field Fluctuations\textendashSpectrum Analyzer instruments on board the four Cluster spacecraft. The data set covers the period from January 2001 to December 2010. We have developed selection criteria for the visual identification of these emissions, and we have compiled a list of more than 2000 events identified during the analyzed time period. The evolution of the Cluster orbit enables us to investigate a large range of McIlwain\textquoterights parameter from about L\~1.1 to L\~10. We demonstrate that EN can occur at almost all analyzed L shells. However, the occurrence rate is very low (<6\%) at L shells below L=2.5 and above L=8.5. EN mostly occurs between L=3 and L=5.5, and within 7\textdegree of the geomagnetic equator, reaching 40\% occurrence rate. This rate further increases to more than 60\% under geomagnetically disturbed conditions. Analysis of occurrence rates as a function of magnetic local time (MLT) shows strong variations outside of the plasmasphere (with a peak around 15 MLT), while the occurrence rate inside the plasmasphere is almost independent on MLT. This is consistent with the hypothesis that EN is generated in the afternoon sector of the plasmapause region and propagates both inward and outward. a, Hrb\; Santolik, O.; emec, F.; a, Mac\; Cornilleau-Wehrlin, N.; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 02/2015 YEAR: 2015 DOI: 10.1002/2014JA020268 equatorial noise; magnetosonic waves; plasmasphere; Radiation belts |
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Externally driven plasmaspheric ULF waves observed by the Van Allen Probes We analyze data acquired by the Van Allen Probes on 8 November 2012, during a period of extended low geomagnetic activity, to gain new insight into plasmaspheric ultra-low-frequency (ULF) waves. The waves exhibited strong spectral power in the 5\textendash40 mHzband and included multiharmonic toroidal waves visible up to the 11th harmonic, unprecedented in the plasmasphere. During this wave activity, the interplanetary magnetic field cone angle was small, suggesting that the waves were driven by broadband compressional ULF waves originating in the foreshock region. This source mechanism is supported by the tailward propagation of the compressional magnetic field perturbations at a phase velocity of a few hundred kilometers per second that is determined bythe cross phase analysis of data from the two spacecraft. We also find that the coherence and phase delay of the azimuthal components of the magnetic field from the two spacecraft strongly depend on the radial separation of the spacecraft and attribute this feature to field line resonance effects. Finally, using the observed toroidal wave frequencies, we estimate the plasma mass density for L = 2.6\textendash5.8. By comparing the mass density with the electron number density that is estimated from the spectrum of plasma waves, we infer that the plasma was dominated by H+ ions and was distributed uniformly along the magnetic field lines. The electron density is higher than the prediction of saturated plasmasphere models, and this \textquotedblleftsuper saturated\textquotedblright plasmasphere and the uniform ion distribution are consistent with the low geomagnetic activity that prevailed. Takahashi, Kazue; Denton, Richard; Kurth, William; Kletzing, Craig; Wygant, John; Bonnell, John; Dai, Lei; Min, Kyungguk; Smith, Charles; MacDowall, Robert; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 12/2014 YEAR: 2014 DOI: 10.1002/2014JA020373 multispacecraft observation; Van Allen Probes; plasmasphere; ULF waves |
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The pitch angle distribution (PAD) of energetic electrons in the slot region and inner radiation belt received little attention in the past decades due to the lack of quality measurements. Using the state-of-art pitch-angle-resolved data from the Magnetic Electron Ion Spectrometer (MagEIS) instrument onboard the Van Allen Probes, a detailed analysis of 100 s keV electron PADs below L = 4 is performed, in which the PADs is categorized into three types: normal (flux peaking at 90o), cap (exceedingly peaking narrowly around 90o) and 90o-minimum (lower flux at 90o) PADs. By examining the characteristics of the PADs of ~460 keV electrons for over a year, we find that the 90o-minimum PADs are generally present in the inner belt (L < 2), while normal PADs dominate at .L ~3.5 - 4. In the region between, 90o-minimum PADs dominate during injection times and normal PADs dominate during quiet times. Cap PADs appear mostly at the decay phase of storms in the slot region and are likely caused by the pitch angle scattering of hiss waves. Fitting the normal PADs into sinnα form, the parameter n is much higher below L = 3 than that in the outer belt and relatively constant in the inner belt but changes significantly in the slot region (2 < L < 3) during injection times. As for the 90o-minimum PADs, by performing a detailed case study, we find in the slot region this type of PAD is likely caused by chorus wave heating, butthis mechanism can hardly explain the formation of 90o-minimum PADs at the center of inner belt. Zhao, H.; Li, X.; Blake, J.; Fennell, J.; Claudepierre, S.; Baker, D.; Jaynes, A.; Malaspina, D.; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 11/2014 YEAR: 2014 DOI: 10.1002/2014JA020386 energetic electrons; Inner radiation belt; Pitch angle distribution; plasmasphere; Slot region; Van Allen Probes; Wave-particle interaction |
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