Bibliography

Simultaneously Formed Wedge-Like Structures of Different Ion Species Deep in the Inner Magnetosphere

In this study, ion data from the Helium, Oxygen, Proton, and Electron (HOPE) spectrometers onboard Van Allen Probes reveal the existence of wedge-like structures of O+, He+, and H+ ions deep in the inner magnetosphere. The behaviors of the wedge-like structures in terms of temporal evolution, spatial distribution, upper energy limit, as well as dependence on solar wind and different geomagnetic indices are investigated from both event studies of several consecutive orbits on 3 February 2013 and the subsequent statistical analyses using 4 years of data. Unlike the dominant distribution at –8 in the dayside observed by the polar orbit satellites in previous studies, the wedge-like structures deep in the equatorial plane of the inner magnetosphere are found mostly at the Mcllwain L shells of –5 and have a preferential location in the duskside and nightside. The O+ and He+ structures can extend to smaller L shells with higher upper energy limits than the H+ structures, while the upper energy limits of all these particle species show a similar variation tendency with respect to magnetic local time (MLT) and L. Observations indicate that these wedge-like structures are probably attributed to fresh substorm injections from the outer region.

Ren, Jie; Zong, Q.; Yue, C.; Zhou, X.; Fu, S; Spence, H.; Funsten, H.;

Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics      Published on: 11/2020

YEAR: 2020     DOI: https://doi.org/10.1029/2020JA028192

wedge-like structures; Ring current ions; inner magnetosphere; Substorm Injections; Van Allen Probes

Ionospheric Signatures of Ring Current Ions Scattered by Magnetosonic Waves

In this letter, we present unique conjugated satellite observations of ionospheric signatures of ring current (RC) ions scattered by fast magnetosonic (MS) waves. In the plasmasphere, the Van Allen Probe in situ observed MS waves. At ionospheric altitudes, the NOAA 16 satellite at the footprint of Van Allen Probe simultaneously observed obvious enhancements of mirroring RC ions, but no obvious variations of precipitating RC ions at subauroral latitudes. Theoretical calculations of pitch angle diffusion coefficients for RC ions confirm that observed MS waves can lead to flux enhancements only for mirroring but not for precipitating RC ions, which is in agreement with the observations of NOAA 16. Our result provides a direct link between in situ inner magnetospheric observations of MS waves and conjugated ionospheric observations of flux enhancements for mirroring RC ions caused by MS waves so as to reveal the ionospheric signature of RC ions scattered by MS waves.

Yuan, Zhigang; Yao, Fei; Yu, Xiongdong; Ouyang, Zhihai; Huang, Shiyong;

Published by: Geophysical Research Letters      Published on: 08/2020

YEAR: 2020     DOI: https://doi.org/10.1029/2020GL089032

magnetosonic waves; mirroring ions; pitch angle scatter; precipitating ions; Van Allen Probes; Ring current ions

Simultaneous trapping of EMIC and MS waves by background plasmas

Electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves and fast magnetosonic waves are found to be simultaneously modulated by background plasma density: both kinds of waves were observed in high plasma density regions but vanished in low density regions. Theoretical analysis based on Snell\textquoterights law and linear growth theory have been utilized to investigate the physical mechanisms driving such modulation. It is suggested that the modulation of fast magnetosonic waves might be due to trapping by plasma density structures, which results from a conservation of the parameter Q during their propagation. Here Q = nrsinψ, with n the refractive index, r the radial distance, and ψ the wave azimuthal angle. As for electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves, the modulation might be owed to the ion composition difference between different plasma density regions. Our results indicate the alternative mechanism for simultaneous appearance of electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves and fast magnetosonic waves (rather than wave excitations of both two wave emissions), which might take combined effects on the evolution of radiation belt electrons.

Yuan, Zhigang; Yu, Xiongdong; Ouyang, Zhihai; Yao, Fei; Huang, Shiyong; Funsten, H.;

Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics      Published on: 02/2019

YEAR: 2019     DOI: 10.1029/2018JA026149

EMIC waves; MS waves; Ring current ions; Van Allen Probes; Wave trapping

Cold Ion Heating by Magnetosonic Waves in a Density Cavity of the Plasmasphere

Fast magnetosonic (MS) waves play an important role in the dynamics of the inner magnetosphere. Theoretical prediction and simulation have demonstrated that MS waves can heat cold ions. However, direct observational evidence of cold ion heating by MS waves has so far remained elusive. In this paper, we show a typical event of cold ion heating by magnetosonic waves in a density cavity of the plasmasphere with observations of the Van Allen Probe mission on 22 August 2013. During enhancements of the MS wave intensity in the density cavity, the fluxes of trapped H+ and He+ ions with energies of 10\textendash100 eV were observed to increase, implying that cold plasmaspheric ions were heated through high-order resonances with the MS waves. Based on simultaneous observations of ring current protons, we have calculated local linear growth rates, which demonstrate that magnetosonic waves can be locally generated in the density cavity. Our results provide a direct observational proof of the energy coupling process between the ring current and plasmasphere; that is, through exciting MS waves, the free energy stored in the ring current protons with ring distributions is released. In the density cavity of the plasmasphere, both cold H+ and He+ ions are heated by MS waves. As a result, the energy of the ring current can be transferred into the plasmasphere

Yuan, Zhigang; Yu, Xiongdong; Huang, Shiyong; Qiao, Zheng; Yao, Fei; Funsten, Herbert;

Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics      Published on: 02/2018

YEAR: 2018     DOI: 10.1002/2017JA024919

cold ion heating; Density cavities; local linear growth rates; magnetosonic waves; Ring current ions; Van Allen Probes; \textquoteleftring\textquoteright distributions

Multiple-satellite observation of magnetic dip event during the substorm on 10 October, 2013

We present a multiple-satellite observation of the magnetic dip event during the substorm on October 10, 2013. The observation illustrates the temporal and spatial evolution of the magnetic dip and gives a compelling evidence that ring current ions induce the magnetic dip by enhanced plasma beta. The dip moves with the energetic ions in a comparable drift velocity and affects the dynamics of relativistic electrons in the radiation belt. In addition, the magnetic dip provides a favorable condition for the EMIC wave generation based on the linear theory analysis. The calculated proton diffusion coefficients show that the observed EMIC wave can lead to the pitch angle scattering losses of the ring current ions, which in turn partially relax the magnetic dip in the observations. This study enriches our understanding of magnetic dip evolution and demonstrates the important role of the magnetic dip for the coupling of radiation belt and ring current.

He, Zhaoguo; Chen, Lunjin; Zhu, Hui; Xia, Zhiyang; Reeves, G.; Xiong, Ying; Xie, Lun; Cao, Yong;

Published by: Geophysical Research Letters      Published on: 09/2017

YEAR: 2017     DOI: 10.1002/2017GL074869

EMIC wave; magnetic dip; radiation belt electrons; Ring current ions; Van Allen Probes

In situ observations of magnetosonic waves modulated by background plasma density

We report in situ observations by the Van Allen Probe mission that magnetosonic (MS) waves are clearly relevant to appear relevant to the background plasma number density. As the satellite moved across dense and tenuous plasma alternatively, MS waves occurred only in lower density region. As the observed protons with \textquoteleftring\textquoteright distributions provide free energy, local linear growth rates are calculated and show that magnetosonic waves can be locally excited in tenuous plasma. With variations of the background plasma density, the temporal variations of local wave growth rates calculated with the observed proton ring distributions, show a remarkable agreement with those of the observed wave amplitude. Therefore, the paper provides a direct proof that background plasma densities can modulate the amplitudes of magnetosonic waves through controlling the wave growth rates.

Yuan, Zhigang; Yu, Xiongdong; Huang, Shiyong; Wang, Dedong; Funsten, Herbert;

Published by: Geophysical Research Letters      Published on: 07/2017

YEAR: 2017     DOI: 10.1002/2017GL074681

\textquoterightring\textquoteright distributions; local linear growth rates; magnetosonic waves; Ring current ions; Van Allen Probes

Oxygen cyclotron harmonic waves observed by the Van Allen Probes

Fine structured multiple-harmonic electromagnetic emissions at frequencies around the equatorial oxygen cyclotron harmonics are observed by Van Allen Probe A outside the core plasmasphere (L~5) off the magnetic equator (MLAT~-7.5\textdegree) during a magnetic storm. We find that the multiple-harmonic emissions have their PSD peaks at 2~8 equatorial oxygen gyro-harmonics (f~nfO+, n=2~8) while the fundamental mode (n=1) is absent, implying that the harmonic waves are generated near the equator and propagate into the observation region. Additionally these electromagnetic emissions are linear polarized. Different from the equatorial noise emission propagating very obliquely, these emissions have moderate wave normal angles (about 40\textdegree~60\textdegree) which predominately become larger as the harmonic number increases. Considering their frequency and wave normal angle characteristics, it is suggested that these multiple-harmonic emissions might play an important role in the dynamic variation of radiation belt electrons.

Xiongdong, Yu; Zhigang, Yuan; Dedong, Wang; Shiyong, Huang; Haimeng, Li; Tao, Yu; Zheng, Qiao;

Published by: Science China: Earth Sciences      Published on: 03/2017

YEAR: 2017     DOI: 10.1007/s11430-016-9024-3

Oxygen Cyclotron Harmonic Waves; Radiation belt; Ring current ions; Van Allen Probes

In situ evidence of the modification of the parallel propagation of EMIC waves by heated He ⁺ ions

With observations of the Van Allen Probe B, we report in situ evidence of the modification of the parallel propagating electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves by heated He+ ions. In the outer boundary of the plasmasphere, accompanied with the He+ ion heating, the frequency bands of H+ and He+ for EMIC waves merged into each other, leading to the disappearance of a usual stop band between the gyrofrequency of He+ ions (ΩHe+) and the H+ cutoff frequency (ωH+co) in the cold plasma. Moreover, the dispersion relation for EMIC waves theoretically calculated with the observed plasma parameters also demonstrates that EMIC waves can indeed parallel propagate across ΩHe+. Therefore, the paper provides an in situ evidence of the modification of the parallel propagation of EMIC waves by heated He+ ions

Yuan, Zhigang; Yu, Xiongdong; Wang, Dedong; Huang, Shiyong; Li, Haimeng; Yu, Tao; Qiao, Zheng; Wygant, John; Funsten, Herbert;

Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics      Published on: 07/2016

YEAR: 2016     DOI: 10.1002/2016JA022573

EMIC waves; He+ ion heating; Ring current ions; stop band; Van Allen Probes

The evolution of ring current ion energy density and energy content during geomagnetic storms based on Van Allen Probes measurements

Enabled by the comprehensive measurements from the MagEIS, HOPE, and RBSPICE instruments onboard Van Allen Probes in the heart of the radiation belt, the relative contributions of ions with different energies and species to the ring current energy density and their dependence on the phases of geomagnetic storms are quantified. The results show that lower energy (<50 keV) protons enhance much more often and also decay much faster than higher energy protons. During the storm main phase, ions with energies < 50 keV contribute more significantly to the ring current than those with higher energies; while the higher energy protons dominate during the recovery phase and quiet times. The enhancements of higher energy proton fluxes as well as energy content generally occur later than those of lower energy protons, which could be due to the inward radial diffusion. For the March 29, 2013 storm we investigated in detail, the contribution from O+ is ~25\% of the ring current energy content during the main phase, and the majority of that comes from < 50 keV O+. This indicates that even during moderate geomagnetic storms the ionosphere is still an important contributor to the ring current ions. Using the Dessler-Parker-Sckopke relation, the contributions of ring current particles to the magnetic field depression during this geomagnetic storm are also calculated. The results show that the measured ring current ions contribute about half of the Dst depression.

Zhao, H.; Li, X.; Baker, D.; Fennell, J.; Blake, J.; Larsen, B.; Skoug, R.; Funsten, H.; Friedel, R.; Reeves, G.; Spence, H.; Mitchell, D.; Lanzerotti, L.; Rodriguez, J.;

Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics      Published on: 08/2015

YEAR: 2015     DOI: 10.1002/2015JA021533

Geomagnetic storms; Ring current energy content; Ring current ions; The DPS relation; The Dst index; Van Allen Probes