Bibliography

Multiharmonic Toroidal Standing Alfv\ en Waves in the Midnight Sector Observed During a Geomagnetically Quiet Period

Excitation of toroidal mode standing Alfv\ en waves in the midnight sector of the inner magnetosphere in association with substorms is well documented, but studies are sparse on dayside sources for the waves. This paper reports observation of midnight toroidal waves by the Van Allen Probe B spacecraft during a geomagnetically quiet period on 12\textemdash13 May 2013. The spacecraft detected toroidal waves excited at odd harmonics below 30 mHz as it moved within the plasmasphere from ~2100 magnetic local time (MLT) to ~0030 MLT through midnight in the dipole L range 4.2\textemdash6.1. The frequencies and the relationship between the electric and magnetic field components of the waves are consistent with theoretical toroidal waves for a reflecting ionosphere. At the time of the nightside toroidal waves, compressional waves were observed by geostationary satellites located on the dayside, and the amplitudes of both types of waves varied with the cone angle of the interplanetary magnetic field. The nightside toroidal waves were likely driven by fast mode waves that resulted from transmission of upstream ultralow frequency waves into the magnetosphere. Ground magnetometers located near the footprint of the spacecraft did not detect toroidal waves.

Takahashi, Kazue; Vellante, Massimo; Del Corpo, Alfredo; Claudepierre, Seth; Kletzing, Craig; Wygant, John; Koga, Kiyokazu;

Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics      Published on: 12/2019

YEAR: 2019     DOI: 10.1029/2019JA027370

Ion foreshock; Nightside magnetosphere; Toroidal Alfven waves; Van Allen Probe; Van Allen Probes

Acceleration of radiation belt electrons and the role of the average interplanetary magnetic field B _z component in high speed streams

In this study we examine the recovery of relativistic radiation belt electrons on November 15-16, 2014, after a previous reduction in the electron flux resulting from the passage of a Corotating Interaction Region (CIR). Following the CIR, there was a period of high-speed streams characterized by large, nonlinear fluctuations in the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) components. However, the outer radiation belt electron flux remained at a low level for several days before it increased in two major steps. The first increase is associated with the IMF background field turning from slightly northward on average, to slightly southward on average. The second major increase is associated with an increase in the solar wind velocity during a period of southward average IMF background field. We present evidence that when the IMF Bz is negative on average, the whistler mode chorus wave power is enhanced in the outer radiation belt, and the amplification of magnetic integrated power spectral density in the ULF frequency range, in the nightside magnetosphere, is more efficient as compared to cases in which the mean IMF Bz is positive. Preliminary analysis of the time evolution of phase space density radial profiles did not provide conclusive evidence on which electron acceleration mechanism is the dominant. We argue that the acceleration of radiation belt electrons requires (i) a seed population of keV electrons injected into the inner magnetosphere by substorms, and both (ii) enhanced whistler mode chorus waves activity as well as (iii) large-amplitude MHD waves.

Souza, V.; Lopez, R.; Jauer, P.; Sibeck, D.; Pham, K.; Silva, L.; Marchezi, J.; Alves, L.; Koga, D.; Medeiros, C.; Rockenbach, M.; Gonzalez, W.;

Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics      Published on: 08/2017

YEAR: 2017     DOI: 10.1002/2017JA024187

Electron acceleration; High-speed solar wind streams; IMF Bz fluctuations; Outer Van Allen belt; Van Allen Probes

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

A neural network approach for identifying particle pitch angle distributions in Van Allen Probes data

Analysis of particle pitch angle distributions (PADs) has been used as a means to comprehend a multitude of different physical mechanisms that lead to flux variations in the Van Allen belts and also to particle precipitation into the upper atmosphere. In this work we developed a neural network-based data clustering methodology that automatically identifies distinct PAD types in an unsupervised way using particle flux data. One can promptly identify and locate three well-known PAD types in both time and radial distance, namely, 90\textdegree peaked, butterfly, and flattop distributions. In order to illustrate the applicability of our methodology, we used relativistic electron flux data from the whole month of November 2014, acquired from the Relativistic Electron-Proton Telescope instrument on board the Van Allen Probes, but it is emphasized that our approach can also be used with multiplatform spacecraft data. Our PAD classification results are in reasonably good agreement with those obtained by standard statistical fitting algorithms. The proposed methodology has a potential use for Van Allen belt\textquoterights monitoring.

Souza, V.; Vieira, L.; Medeiros, C.; Da Silva, L.; Alves, L.; Koga, D.; Sibeck, D.; Walsh, B.; Kanekal, S.; Jauer, P.; Rockenbach, M.; Dal Lago, A.; Silveira, M.; Marchezi, J.; Mendes, O.; Gonzalez, W.; Baker, D.;

Published by: Space Weather      Published on: 04/2016

YEAR: 2016     DOI: 10.1002/2015SW001349

pitch angle distributions; self-organizing maps; Van Allen belt\textquoterights monitoring; Van Allen Probes

Spatial structure and temporal evolution of energetic particle injections in the inner magnetosphere during the 14 July 2013 substorm event.

Recent results by the Van Allen Probes mission showed that the occurrence of energetic ion injections inside geosynchronous orbit could be very frequent throughout the main phase of a geomagnetic storm. Understanding, therefore, the formation and evolution of energetic particle injections is critical in order to quantify their effect in the inner magnetosphere. We present a case study of a substorm event that occurred during a weak storm (Dst ~ - 40 nT) on 14 July 2013. Van Allen Probe B, inside geosynchronous orbit, observed two energetic proton injections within ten minutes, with different dipolarization signatures and duration. The first one is a dispersionless, short timescale injection pulse accompanied by a sharp dipolarization signature, while the second one is a dispersed, longer timescale injection pulse accompanied by a gradual dipolarization signature. We combined ground magnetometer data from various stations, and in-situ particle and magnetic field data from multiple satellites in the inner magnetosphere and near-Earth plasma sheet to determine the spatial extent of these injections, their temporal evolution, and their effects in the inner magnetosphere. Our results indicate that there are different spatial and temporal scales at which injections can occur in the inner magnetosphere and depict the necessity of multipoint observations of both particle and magnetic field data in order to determine these scales.

Gkioulidou, Matina; Ohtani, S.; Mitchell, D.; Ukhorskiy, A.; Reeves, G.; Turner, D.; Gjerloev, J.; e, Nos\; Koga, K.; Rodriguez, J.; Lanzerotti, L.;

Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics      Published on: 02/2015

YEAR: 2015     DOI: 10.1002/2014JA020872

inner magnetosphere; Van Allen Probes