Bibliography

Substorm injection of relativistic electrons to geosynchronous orbit during the great magnetic storm of March 24, 1991

The great March 1991 magnetic storm and the immediately preceding solar energetic particle event (SEP) were among the largest observed during the past solar cycle, and have been the object of intense study. We investigate here, using data from eight satellites, the very large delayed buildup of relativistic electron flux in the outer zone during a 1.5-day period beginning 2 days after onset of the main phase of this storm. A notable feature of the March storm is the intense substorm activity throughout the period of the relativistic flux buildup, and the good correlation between some temporal features of the lower-energy substorm-injected electron flux and the relativistic electron flux at geosynchronous orbit. Velocity dispersion analysis of these fluxes between geosynchronous satellites near local midnight and local noon shows evidence that both classes of electrons arrive at geosynchronous nearly simultaneously within a few hours of local midnight. From this we conclude that for this storm period the substorm inductive electric field transports not only the usual (50\textendash300 keV) substorm electrons but also the relativistic (0.3 to several MeV) electrons to geosynchronous orbit. A simplified calculation of the electron ε \texttimes B and gradient/curvature drifts indicates that sufficiently strong substorm dipolarization inductive electric fields (≳ 10 mV/m) could achieve this, provided sufficient relativistic electrons are present in the source region. Consistent with this interpretation, we find that the injected relativistic electrons have a pitch angle distribution that is markedly peaked perpendicular to the magnetic field. Furthermore, the equatorial phase space density at geosynchronous orbit (L = 6.7) is greater than it is at GPS orbit at the equator (L = 4.2) throughout this buildup period, indicating that a source for the relativistic electrons lies outside geosynchronous orbit during this time. Earthward transport of the relativistic electrons by large substorm dipolarization fields, since it is unidirectional, would constitute a strong addition to the transport by radial diffusion and, when it occurs, could result in unusually strong relativistic fluxes, as is reported here for this magnetic storm.

Ingraham, J.; Cayton, T.; Belian, R.; Christensen, R.; Friedel, R.; Meier, M.; Reeves, G.; Takahashi, K;

Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research      Published on: 11/2001

YEAR: 2001     DOI: 10.1029/2000JA000458

Substorm Injections

Multisatellite observations of the outer zone electron variation during the November 3\textendash4, 1993, magnetic storm

The disappearance and reappearance of outer zone energetic electrons during the November 3\textendash4, 1993, magnetic storm is examined utilizing data from the Solar, Anomalous, and Magnetospheric Particle Explorer (SAMPEX), the Global Positioning System (GPS) series, and the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) sensors onboard geosynchronous satellites. The relativistic electron flux drops during the main phase of the magnetic storm in association with the large negative interplanetary Bz and rapid solar wind pressure increase late on November 3. Outer zone electrons with E > 3 MeV measured by SAMPEX disappear for over 12 hours at the beginning of November 4. This represents a 3 orders of magnitude decrease down to the cosmic ray background of the detector. GPS and LANL sensors show similar effects, confirming that the flux drop of the energetic electrons occurs near the magnetic equator and at all pitch angles. Enhanced electron precipitation was measured by SAMPEX at L >= 3.5. The outer zone electron fluxes then recover and exceed prestorm levels within one day of the storm onset and the inner boundary of the outer zone moves inward to smaller L (<3). These multiple-satellite measurements provide a data set which is examined in detail and used to determine the mechanisms contributing to the loss and recovery of the outer zone electron flux. The loss of the inner part of the outer zone electrons is partly due to the adiabatic effects associated with the decrease of Dst, while the loss of most of the outer part (those electrons initially at L >= 4.0) are due to either precipitation into the atmosphere or drift to the magnetopause because of the strong compression of the magnetosphere by the solar wind. The recovery of the energetic electron flux is due to the adiabatic effects associated with the increase in Dst, and at lower energies (<0.5 MeV) due to rapid radial diffusion driven by the strong magnetic activity during the recovery phase of the storm. Heating of the electrons by waves may contribute to the energization of the more energetic part (>1.0 MeV) of the outer zone electrons.

Li, Xinlin; Baker, D.; Temerin, M.; Cayton, T.; Reeves, E.; Christensen, R.; Blake, J.; Looper, M.; Nakamura, R.; Kanekal, S.;

Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research      Published on: 01/1997

YEAR: 1997     DOI: 10.1029/97JA01101

Magnetopause Losses