Bibliography

Quantitative assessment of protons during the solar proton events of September 2017

Abstract We present multi-spacecraft observations of the proton fluxes spanning from 1.5-433 MeV for the largest solar proton event of solar cycle 24, i.e. 7 and 10 September 2017. In September 2017, M5.5 flare on 4 September, X9.3 flare on 6 September and X8.2 flare on 10 September gave rise to solar proton event when observed by near-Earth spacecrafts. On 7 September and 10 September 2017, a strong enhancement in the proton intensities was observed by ACE and WIND at L1 and Van Allen Probes, GOES-15 and POES-19 in the Earth’s inner magnetosphere. Below geosynchronous orbit, Van Allen Probes and POES-19 shows that no significant proton flux was observed with energies 25 MeV on September 4, while the fluxes peaked 3 to 7-times during September 7 and by 25 times during the third proton flux event on 10 September, 2017. Van Allen Probe-A observation shows that the closest distance that solar proton fluxes could approach the Earth is 4.4 for 102.6 MeV energies on September 2017, while lower energy protons i.e. 25 MeV are observed deep up to 3.4 on September 2017. POES-19 observations show that there is no particular MLT dependence of the solar proton flux and is symmetric everywhere at high and low latitudes. The measurements from multiple spacecrafts located in the different regions of the Earth’s magnetosphere show that the increased level of solar proton flux population persisted for 2 days. Thus we quantify the temporal flux variability in terms of -value, energy and MLT.

Pandya, Megha; Veenadhari, B.;

Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics      Published on: 09/2021

YEAR: 2021     DOI: https://doi.org/10.1029/2021JA029458

innermagnetosphere; SEP event; Radiation belt; Proton flux; Van Allen Probes

Evolution of Pitch Angle-Distributed Megaelectron Volt Electrons During Each Phase of the Geomagnetic Storm

Using Relativistic Electron Proton Telescope measurements onboard Van Allen Probes, the evolution of electron pitch angle distributions (PADs) during the different phases of magnetic storms is studied. Electron fluxes are sorted in terms of storm phase, urn:x-wiley:jgra:media:jgra55457:jgra55457-math-0001 value, energy, and magnetic local time (MLT) sectors for 55 magnetic storms from October 2012 through May 2017. To understand the potential mechanisms for the evolution of electron PADs, we fit PADs to a sinusoidal function urn:x-wiley:jgra:media:jgra55457:jgra55457-math-0002, where urn:x-wiley:jgra:media:jgra55457:jgra55457-math-0003 is the equatorial pitch angle and n is a real number. The major inferences from our study are (i) at L urn:x-wiley:jgra:media:jgra55457:jgra55457-math-00045, the prestorm electron PADs are nearly isotropic (n urn:x-wiley:jgra:media:jgra55457:jgra55457-math-00050), which evolves differently in different MLT sectors during the main phase subsequently recovering back to nearly isotropic distribution type during the storm recovery phase; (ii) for urn:x-wiley:jgra:media:jgra55457:jgra55457-math-0006 urn:x-wiley:jgra:media:jgra55457:jgra55457-math-0007 3.4 MeV, the main phase electron PADs become more pancake like on the dayside with high n values (>3), while it becomes more flattop to butterfly like on the nightside, (iii) at L = 5, magnetic field strength during the storm main phase enhances during the daytime and decreases during the nighttime. (iv) Conversely, at L urn:x-wiley:jgra:media:jgra55457:jgra55457-math-00083, the electron PADs neither respond significantly to the different phase of the magnetic storm nor reflect any MLT dependence. (v) Main phase, electron fluxes with urn:x-wiley:jgra:media:jgra55457:jgra55457-math-0009 <4.2 MeV shows a persistent 90\textdegree maximum PAD with n ranging between 0 and 2, while for urn:x-wiley:jgra:media:jgra55457:jgra55457-math-0010 urn:x-wiley:jgra:media:jgra55457:jgra55457-math-0011 4.2 MeV the distribution appears flattop and butterfly like. Our study shows that the relativistic electron PADs depend upon the geomagnetic storm phase and possible underlying mechanisms are discussed in this paper.

Pandya, Megha; Bhaskara, Veenadhari; Ebihara, Yusuke; Kanekal, Shrikanth; Baker, Daniel;

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

YEAR: 2019     DOI: 10.1029/2019JA027086

electron flux; inner magnetosphere; Pitch angle distribution; Radiation belts; Van Allen Probes

Variation of Radiation belt electron flux during CME and CIR driven geomagnetic storms: Van Allen Probes observations

Relativistic electron flux responses in the inner magnetosphere are investigated for 28 magnetic storms driven by Corotating Interaction Region (CIR) and 27 magnetic storms driven by Coronal Mass Ejection (CME), using data from the Relativistic Electron-Proton Telescope (REPT) instrument on board Van-Allen Probes from Oct-2012 to May-2017. In this present study we analyze the role of CIRs and CMEs in electron dynamics by sorting the electron fluxes in terms of averaged solar wind parameters, L-values, and energies. The major outcomes from our study are: (i) At L = 3 and E = 3.4 MeV, for >70\% cases the electron flux remains stable, while at L = 5, for ~82\% cases it changes with the geomagnetic conditions. (ii) At L = 5, ~53\% of the CIR storms and 30\% of the CME storms show electron flux increase. (iii) At a given L-value, the tendency for the electron flux variation diminishes with the increasing energies for both categories of storms. (iv) In case of CIR driven storms, the electron flux changes are associated with changes in Vsw and Sym-H. (v) At L ~ 3, CME storms show increased electron flux, while at L ~ 5, CIR storms are responsible for the electron flux enhancements. (vi) During CME and CIR driven storms, distinct electron flux variations are observed at L = 3 and L = 5.

Pandya, Megha; Veenadhari, B.; Ebihara, Y.; Kanekal, S.G.; Baker, D.N.;

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

YEAR: 2019     DOI: 10.1029/2019JA026771

electron flux; innermagnetosphere; Magnetic Storms; Radiation belt; solar wind driver; Van Allen Probes