Bibliography

Temperature Dependence of Plasmaspheric Ion Composition

We analyze a database of Dynamics Explorer-1 (DE-1) Retarding Ion Mass Spectrometer densities and temperatures to yield the first explicit measure of how cold ion concentration depends on temperature. We find that cold H+ and He+ concentrations have very weak dependence on temperature, but cold O+ ion concentration increases steeply as these ions become warmer. We demonstrate how this result can aid in analyzing composition data from other satellites without spacecraft potential mitigation, by applying the result to an example using data from the Van Allen Probes mission. Measurement of light ion concentrations above 1 electron volt (eV) are a reasonable proxy for the concentrations of colder (eV) ions. Warmer O+ ion concentrations may be extrapolated to colder temperatures using our fit to the statistical distribution versus temperature.

Goldstein, J.; Gallagher, D.; Craven, P.; Comfort, R.; Genestreti, K.; Mouikis, C.; Spence, H.; Kurth, W.; Wygant, J.; Skoug, R.; Larsen, B.; Reeves, G.; De Pascuale, S.;

Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics      Published on: 07/2019

YEAR: 2019     DOI: 10.1029/2019JA026822

composition; plasmasphere: ion; temperature; Van Allen Probes

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

plasmasphere; Van Allen Probes

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

plasmasphere; Van Allen Probes

Multispacecraft Observations and Modeling of the June 22/23, 2015 Geomagnetic Storm

The magnetic storm of June 22-23, 2015 was one of the largest in the current solar cycle. We present in situ observations from the Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission (MMS) and the Van Allen Probes (VAP) in the magnetotail, field-aligned currents from AMPERE, and ionospheric flow data from DMSP. Our real-time space weather alert system sent out a \textquotedblleftred alert\textquotedblright, correctly predicting Kp indices greater than 8. We show strong outflow of ionospheric Oxygen, dipolarizations in the MMS magnetometer data, and dropouts in the particle fluxes seen by the MMS FPI instrument suite. At ionospheric altitudes, the AMPERE data show highly variable currents exceeding 20 MA. We present numerical simulations with the BATS-R-US global magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) model linked with the Rice Convection Model (RCM). The model predicted the magnitude of the dipolarizations, and varying polar cap convection patterns, which were confirmed by DMSP measurements.

Reiff, P.; Daou, A.; Sazykin, S; Nakamura, R.; Hairston, M.; Coffey, V.; Chandler, M.; Anderson, B.; Russell, C.; Welling, D.; Fuselier, S.; Genestreti, K.;

Published by: Geophysical Research Letters      Published on: 05/2016

YEAR: 2016     DOI: 10.1002/2016GL069154

Dipolarization; Geomagnetic storm; MMS; prediction; simulation; Space weather; Van Allen Probes

Simulation of Van Allen Probes Plasmapause Encounters

We use an E \texttimes B-driven plasmapause test particle (PTP) simulation to provide global contextual information for in situ measurements by the Van Allen Probes (RBSP) during 15\textendash20 January 2013. During 120 h of simulation time beginning on 15 January, geomagnetic activity produced three plumes. The third and largest simulated plume formed during enhanced convection on 17 January, and survived as a rotating, wrapped, residual plume for tens of hours. To validate the simulation, we compare its output with RBSP data. Virtual RBSP satellites recorded 28 virtual plasmapause encounters during 15\textendash19 January. For 26 of 28 (92\%) virtual crossings, there were corresponding actual RBSP encounters with plasmapause density gradients. The mean difference in encounter time between model and data is 36 min. The mean model-data difference in radial location is 0:40\textpm0:05 RE. The model-data agreement is better for strong convection than for quiet or weakly disturbed conditions. On 18 January, both RBSP spacecraft crossed a tenuous, detached plasma feature at approximately the same time and nightside location as a wrapped residual plume, predicted by the model to have formed 32 h earlier on 17 January. The agreement between simulation and data indicates that the model-provided global information is adequate to correctly interpret the RBSP density observations.

Goldstein, J.; De Pascuale, S.; Kletzing, C.; Kurth, W.; Genestreti, K.; Skoug, R.; Larsen, B.; Kistler, L.; Mouikis, C.; Spence, H.;

Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics      Published on: 09/2014

YEAR: 2014     DOI: 10.1002/2014JA020252

observations; plasmasphere; residual plume; simulation; Van Allen Probes