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Found 882 entries in the Bibliography.
Showing entries from 651 through 700
| 2015 |
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Simultaneous observations of electron velocity distributions and chorus waves by the Van Allen Probe B are analyzed to identify long-lasting (more than 6 h) signatures of electron Landau resonant interactions with oblique chorus waves in the outer radiation belt. Such Landau resonant interactions result in the trapping of \~1\textendash10 keV electrons and their acceleration up to 100\textendash300 keV. This kind of process becomes important for oblique whistler mode waves having a significant electric field component along the background magnetic field. In the inhomogeneous geomagnetic field, such resonant interactions then lead to the formation of a plateau in the parallel (with respect to the geomagnetic field) velocity distribution due to trapping of electrons into the wave effective potential. We demonstrate that the electron energy corresponding to the observed plateau remains in very good agreement with the energy required for Landau resonant interaction with the simultaneously measured oblique chorus waves over 6 h and a wide range of L shells (from 4 to 6) in the outer belt. The efficient parallel acceleration modifies electron pitch angle distributions at energies \~50\textendash200 keV, allowing us to distinguish the energized population. The observed energy range and the density of accelerated electrons are in reasonable agreement with test particle numerical simulations. Agapitov, O.; Artemyev, A.; Mourenas, D.; Mozer, F.; Krasnoselskikh, V.; Published by: Geophysical Research Letters Published on: 12/2015 YEAR: 2015 DOI: 10.1002/2015GL066887 Landau resonance; nonlinear acceleration of electrons; oblique whistlers; Radiation belts; seed population; Van Allen Probes |
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A statistical survey of electron pitch angle distributions (PADs) is performed based on the pitch angle resolved flux observations from the Magnetic Electron Ion Spectrometer (MagEIS) instrument on board the Van Allen Probes during the period from 1 October 2012 to 1 May 2015. By fitting the measured PADs to a sinnα form, where α is the local pitch angle and n is the power law index, we investigate the dependence of PADs on electron kinetic energy, magnetic local time (MLT), the geomagnetic Kp index and L-shell. The difference in electron PADs between the inner and outer belt is distinct. In the outer belt, the common averaged n values are less than 1.5, except for large values of the Kp index and high electron energies. The averaged n values vary considerably with MLT, with a peak in the afternoon sector and an increase with increasing L-shell. In the inner belt, the averaged n values are much larger, with a common value greater than 2. The PADs show a slight dependence on MLT, with a weak maximum at noon. A distinct region with steep PADs lies in the outer edge of the inner belt where the electron flux is relatively low. The distance between the inner and outer belt and the intensity of the geomagnetic activity together determine the variation of PADs in the inner belt. Besides being dependent on electron energy, magnetic activity and L-shell, the results show a clear dependence on MLT, with higher n values on the dayside. Shi, Run; Summers, Danny; Ni, Binbin; Fennell, Joseph; Blake, Bernard; Spence, Harlan; Reeves, Geoffrey; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 12/2015 YEAR: 2015 DOI: 10.1002/2015JA021724 |
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Ultra-low-frequency wave-driven diffusion of radiation belt relativistic electrons Van Allen radiation belts are typically two zones of energetic particles encircling the Earth separated by the slot region. How the outer radiation belt electrons are accelerated to relativistic energies remains an unanswered question. Recent studies have presented compelling evidence for the local acceleration by very-low-frequency (VLF) chorus waves. However, there has been a competing theory to the local acceleration, radial diffusion by ultra-low-frequency (ULF) waves, whose importance has not yet been determined definitively. Here we report a unique radiation belt event with intense ULF waves but no detectable VLF chorus waves. Our results demonstrate that the ULF waves moved the inner edge of the outer radiation belt earthward 0.3 Earth radii and enhanced the relativistic electron fluxes by up to one order of magnitude near the slot region within about 10 h, providing strong evidence for the radial diffusion of radiation belt relativistic electrons. Su, Zhenpeng; Zhu, Hui; Xiao, Fuliang; Zong, Q.-G.; Zhou, X.-Z.; Zheng, Huinan; Wang, Yuming; Wang, Shui; Hao, Y.-X.; Gao, Zhonglei; He, Zhaoguo; Baker, D.; Spence, H.; Reeves, G.; Blake, J.; Wygant, J.; Published by: Nature Communications Published on: 12/2015 YEAR: 2015 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms10096 |
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Wave-particle interactions in the outer radiation belts Data from the Van Allen Probes have provided the first extensive evidence of non-linear (as opposed to quasi-linear) wave-particle interactions in space, with the associated rapid (fraction of a bounce period) electron acceleration, to hundreds of keV by Landau resonance, in the parallel electric fields of time domain structures (TDS) and very oblique chorus waves. The experimental evidence, simulations, and theories of these processes are discussed. Agapitov, O.~V.; Mozer, F.~S.; Artemyev, A.~V.; Mourenas, D.; Krasnoselskikh, V.~V.; Published by: Advances in Astronomy and Space Physics Published on: 12/2015 plasma waves and instabilities; Radiation belts; Van Allen Probes; Wave-particle interaction |
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Electron scattering by magnetosonic waves in the inner magnetosphere We investigate the importance of electron scattering by magnetosonic waves in the Earth\textquoterights inner magnetosphere. A statistical survey of the magnetosonic wave amplitude and wave frequency spectrum, as a function of geomagnetic activity, is performed using the Van Allen Probes wave measurements, and is found to be generally consistent with the wave distribution obtained from previous spacecraft missions. Outside the plasmapause the statistical frequency distribution of magnetosonic waves follows the variation of the lower hybrid resonance frequency, but this trend is not observed inside the plasmasphere. Drift and bounce averaged electron diffusion rates due to magnetosonic waves are calculated using a recently developed analytical formula. The resulting time scale of electron energization during disturbed conditions (when AE* > 300 nT) is more than ten days. We perform a 2D simulation of the electron phase space density evolution due to magnetosonic wave scattering during disturbed conditions. Outside the plasmapause, the waves accelerate electrons with pitch angles between 50\textdegree and 70\textdegree, and form butterfly pitch angle distributions at energies from ~100 keV to a few MeV over a time scale of several days; whereas inside the plasmapause, the electron acceleration is very weak. Our study suggests that intense magnetosonic waves may cause the butterfly distribution of radiation belt electrons especially outside the plasmapause, but electron acceleration due to magnetosonic waves is generally not as effective as chorus wave acceleration. Ma, Qianli; Li, Wen; Thorne, Richard; Bortnik, Jacob; Kletzing, C.; Kurth, W.; Hospodarsky, G.; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 12/2015 YEAR: 2015 DOI: 10.1002/2015JA021992 Electron scattering; magnetosonic waves; Van Allen Probes; Van Allen Probes statistics |
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Energy dependent dynamics of keV to MeV electrons in the inner zone, outer zone, and slot regions. We present observations of the radiation belts from the HOPE and MagEIS particle detectors on the Van Allen Probes satellites that illustrate the energy-dependence and L-shell dependence of radiation belt enhancements and decays. We survey events in 2013 and analyze an event on March 1 in more detail. The observations show: (a) At all L-shells, lower-energy electrons are enhanced more often than higher energies; (b) Events that fill the slot region are more common at lower energies; (c) Enhancements of electrons in the inner zone are more common at lower energies; and (d) Even when events do not fully fill the slot region, enhancements at lower-energies tend to extend to lower L-shells than higher energies. During enhancement events the outer zone extends to lower L-shells at lower energies while being confined to higher L-shells at higher energies. The inner zone shows the opposite with an outer boundary at higher L-shells for lower energies. Both boundaries are nearly straight in log(energy) vs. L-shell space. At energies below a few hundred keV radiation belt electron penetration through the slot region into the inner zone is commonplace but the number and frequency of \textquotedblleftslot filling\textquotedblright events decreases with increasing energy. The inner zone is enhanced only at energies that penetrate through the slot. Energy- and L-shell dependent losses (that are consistent with whistler hiss interactions) return the belts to more quiescent conditions. Reeves, Geoffrey; Friedel, Reiner; Larsen, Brian; Skoug, Ruth; Funsten, Herbert; Claudepierre, Seth; Fennell, Joseph; Turner, Drew; Denton, Mick; Spence, H.; Blake, Bernard; Baker, D.; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 12/2015 YEAR: 2015 DOI: 10.1002/2015JA021569 Acceleration; energetic particles; Inner zone; Outer Zone; Radiation belts; Slot region; Van Allen Probes |
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Global Empirical Models of Plasmaspheric Hiss using Van Allen Probes Plasmaspheric hiss is a whistler mode emission that permeates the Earth\textquoterights plasmasphere and is a significant driver of energetic electron losses through cyclotron-resonant pitch angle scattering. The EMFISIS instrument on the Van Allen Probes mission provides vastly improved measurements of the hiss wave environment including continuous measurements of the wave magnetic field cross-spectral matrix and enhanced low frequency coverage. Here, we develop empirical models of hiss wave intensity using two years of Van Allen Probes data. First, we describe the construction of the hiss database. Then, we compare the hiss spectral distribution and integrated wave amplitude obtained from Van Allen Probes to those previously extracted from the CRRES mission. Next, we develop a cubic regression model of the average hiss magnetic field intensity as a function of Kp, L, magnetic latitude and magnetic local time. We use the full regression model to explore general trends in the data and use insights from the model to develop a simplified model of wave intensity for straightforward inclusion in quasi-linear diffusion calculations of electron scattering rates. Spasojevic, M.; Shprits, Y.Y.; Orlova, K.; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 11/2015 YEAR: 2015 DOI: 10.1002/2015JA021803 Electron scattering; Empirical Model; inner magnetosphere; Plasmaspheric Hiss; Van Allen Probes |
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High-resolution in situ observations of electron precipitation-causing EMIC waves Electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves are thought to be important drivers of energetic electron losses from the outer radiation belt through precipitation into the atmosphere. While the theoretical possibility of pitch angle scattering-driven losses from these waves has been recognized for more than four decades, there have been limited experimental precipitation observations to support this concept. We have combined satellite-based observations of the characteristics of EMIC waves, with satellite and ground-based observations of the EMIC-induced electron precipitation. In a detailed case study, supplemented by an additional four examples, we are able to constrain for the first time the location, size, and energy range of EMIC-induced electron precipitation inferred from coincident precipitation data and relate them to the EMIC wave frequency, wave power, and ion band of the wave as measured in situ by the Van Allen Probes. These observations will better constrain modeling into the importance of EMIC wave-particle interactions. Rodger, Craig; Hendry, Aaron; Clilverd, Mark; Kletzing, Craig; Brundell, James; Reeves, Geoffrey; Published by: Geophysical Research Letters Published on: 11/2015 YEAR: 2015 DOI: 10.1002/grl.v42.2210.1002/2015GL066581 EMIC waves; energetic electron precipitation; radiation belt electrons; Van Allen Probes; wave-particle interactions |
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In-flight performance of the Van Allen Probes RF telecommunications system The NASA Van Allen Probes mission (previously called the Radiation Belt Storm Probes) successfully launched on 30 August 2012. The twin spacecraft, designed, built, and operated by The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (JHU/APL), has been successfully operating within Earth׳s radiation belts since then, returning critical science data revealing new insights into the physics of the radiation belts. Because of the extreme radiation environment, all spacecraft subsystems including the communications system had to make special accommodations to withstand the effects of the radiation. Each Van Allen Probes spacecraft׳s telecommunications system includes an S-band version of the Frontier Radio, a solid-state power amplifier, RF routing components, and dual low-gain antennas. This mission marks the first flight of the Frontier Radio, which is baselined for use in the upcoming Solar Probe Plus and Europa Clipper missions. This paper will present an overview of the as-built telecommunications system and its ground station interfaces discuss key communications flight hardware components, and then discuss in detail its activities and performance in-flight, including the launch and commissioning operations, performance enhancements since launch, and performance trending in flight. Pre-launch preparations at the APL 18-m ground station revealed occasional RF interference that could disrupt Van Allen Probe downlink. A monitoring system was installed to help mitigate some interference sources, and to characterize the residual environment and show that RF interference was not a mission risk. Post-launch commissioning activities were driven by the requirement to verify both spacecraft׳s communication systems over multiple ground networks, including JHU/APL׳s own 18-m ground station, the Universal Space Network, and TDRSS. Enhanced science data downlink volume was enabled by expanding the usable field of view of the spacecrafts׳ antennas once in-flight calibrations of the antenna patterns were completed, as well as reducing downlink link margins to a bare minimum when downlinking via APL׳s 18-m dish, where the CFDP (CCSDS File Delivery Protocol) is used to guarantee file delivery. Radiation drove some of the hardware design; the radios have experienced several predicted fault conditions at the predicted rates and have reacted autonomously as designed to minimize impact to the science downlink. Srinivasan, Dipak; Adams, Norm; Wallis, Robert; Published by: Acta Astronautica Published on: 11/2015 YEAR: 2015 DOI: 10.1016/j.actaastro.2015.05.001 |
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On 2 October 2013, the arrival of an interplanetary shock compressed the Earth\textquoterights magnetosphere and triggered a global ULF (ultra low frequency) oscillation. The Van Allen Probe B spacecraft observed this large-amplitude ULF wave in situ with both magnetic and electric field data. Broadband waves up to approximately 100 Hz were observed in conjunction with, and modulated by, this ULF wave. Detailed analysis of fields and particle data reveals that these broadband waves are Doppler-shifted kinetic Alfv\ en waves. This event suggests that magnetospheric compression by interplanetary shocks can induce abrupt generation of kinetic Alfv\ en waves over large portions of the inner magnetosphere, potentially driving previously unconsidered wave-particle interactions throughout the inner magnetosphere during the initial response of the magnetosphere to shock impacts. Malaspina, David; Claudepierre, Seth; Takahashi, Kazue; Jaynes, Allison; Elkington, Scot; Ergun, Robert; Wygant, John; Reeves, Geoff; Kletzing, Craig; Published by: Geophysical Research Letters Published on: 11/2015 YEAR: 2015 DOI: 10.1002/2015GL065935 inner magnetosphere; interplanetary shock; Kinetic Alfven Waves; magnetosphere shock response; plasma waves; ULF waves; Van Allen Probes |
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The power spectrum of the compressional component of magnetic fields observed by the Van Allen Probes spacecraft near the magnetospheric equator in the dayside plasmasphere sometimes exhibits regularly spaced multiple peaks at frequencies below 50 mHz. We show by detailed analysis of events observed on two separate days in early 2014 that the frequencies change smoothly with the radial distance of the spacecraft and appear at or very near the frequencies of the odd harmonics of mutiharmonic toroidal mode standing Alfv\ en waves seen in the azimuthal component of the magnetic field. Even though the compressional component had a low amplitude on one of the selected days, its spectral properties are highlighted by computing the ratio of the spectral powers of time series data obtained from two spatially separated Van Allen Probes spacecraft. The spectral similarity of the compressional and azimuthal components suggests that the compressional component contains field line resonance characteristics. Takahashi, Kazue; Waters, Colin; Glassmeier, Karl-Heinz; Kletzing, Craig; Kurth, William; Smith, Charles; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 11/2015 YEAR: 2015 DOI: 10.1002/2015JA021780 Compressional oscillations; Field line resonance; Pc3-Pc4 band; plasmasphere; Van Allen Probes |
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By examining the compression-induced changes in the electron phase space density and pitch angle distribution observed by two satellites of Van Allen Probes (RBSP-A/B), we find that the relativistic electrons (>2MeV) outside the heart of outer radiation belt (L*>= 5) undergo multiple losses during a storm sudden commencement (SSC). The relativistic electron loss mainly occurs in the field-aligned direction (pitch angle α< 30\textdegree or >150\textdegree), and the flux decay of the field-aligned electrons is independent of the spatial location variations of the two satellites. However, the relativistic electrons in the pitch angle range of 30\textdegree-150\textdegree increase (decrease) with the decreasing (increasing) geocentric distance (|ΔL|< 0.25) of the RBSP-B (RBSP-A) location, and the electron fluxes in the quasi-perpendicular direction display energy-dispersive oscillations in the Pc5 period range (2 - 10min). The relativistic electron loss is confirmed by the decrease of electron phase space density at high-L shell after the magnetospheric compressions, and their loss is associated with the intense plasmaspheric hiss, electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves, relativistic electron precipitation (observed by POES/NOAA satellites at 850km) and magnetic field fluctuations in the Pc5 band. The intense EMIC waves and whistler-mode hiss jointly cause the rapidly pitch angle scattering loss of the relativistic electrons within 10 hours. Moreover, the Pc5 ULF waves also lead to the slowly outward radial diffusion of the relativistic electrons in the high-L region with a negative electron phase space density gradient. Yu, J.; Li, L.Y.; Cao, J.; Yuan, Z.; Reeves, G.; Baker, D.; Blake, J.; Spence, H.; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 11/2015 YEAR: 2015 DOI: 10.1002/2015JA021460 Electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves; outer radiation belt; Outward radial diffusion driven by ULF waves; Plasmaspheric Hiss; relativistic electron loss; Storm sudden commencement; Van Allen Probes |
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The Van Allen radiation belts surrounding the Earth are filled with MeV-energy electrons. This region poses ionizing radiation risks for spacecraft that operate within it, including those in geostationary (GEO) and medium Earth orbit (MEO). To provide alerts of electron flux enhancements, sixteen prediction models of the electron log-flux variation throughout the equatorial outer radiation belt as a function of the McIlwain L parameter were developed using the multivariate autoregressive model and Kalman filter. Measurements of omni-directional 2.3 MeV electron flux from the Van Allen Probes mission as well as >2 MeV electrons from the GOES-15 spacecraft were used as the predictors. Model explanatory parameters were selected from solar wind parameters, the electron log-flux at GEO, and geomagnetic indices. For the innermost region of the outer radiation belt, the electron flux is best predicted by using the Dst index as the sole input parameter. For the central to outermost regions, at L≧4.8 and L≧5.6, the electron flux is predicted most accurately by including also the solar wind velocity and then the dynamic pressure, respectively. The Dst index is the best overall single parameter for predicting at 3≦L≦6, while for the GEO flux prediction, the KP index is better than Dst. A test calculation demonstrates that the model successfully predicts the timing and location of the flux maximum as much as 2 days in advance, and that the electron flux decreases faster with time at higher L values, both model features consistent with the actually observed behavior. Sakaguchi, Kaori; Nagatsuma, Tsutomu; Reeves, Geoffrey; Spence, Harlan; Published by: Space Weather Published on: 11/2015 YEAR: 2015 DOI: 10.1002/2015SW001254 outer radiation belt; Practical prediction model; Van Allen Probes |
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Magnetotail processes and structures related to substorm growth phase/onset auroral arcs remain poorly understood mostly due to the lack of adequate observations. In this study we make a comparison between ground-based optical measurements of the premidnight growth phase/onset arcs at subauroral latitudes and magnetically conjugate measurements made by the Active Magnetosphere and Planetary Electrodynamics Response Experiment (AMPERE) at ~780 km in altitude and by the Van Allen Probe B (RBSP-B) spacecraft crossing L values of ~5.0\textendash5.6 in the premidnight inner tail region. The conjugate observations offer a unique opportunity to examine the detailed features of the arc location relative to large-scale Birkeland currents and of the magnetospheric counterpart. Our main findings include (1) at the early stage of the growth phase the quiet auroral arc emerged ~4.3\textdegree equatorward of the boundary between the downward Region 2 (R2) and upward Region 1 (R1) currents; (2) shortly before the auroral breakup (poleward auroral expansion) the latitudinal separation between the arc and the R1/R2 demarcation narrowed to ~1.0\textdegree; (3) RBSP-B observed a magnetic field signature of a local upward field-aligned current (FAC) connecting the arc with the near-Earth tail when the spacecraft footprint was very close to the arc; and (4) the upward FAC signature was located on the tailward side of a local plasma pressure increase confined near L ~5.2\textendash5.4. These findings strongly suggest that the premidnight arc is connected to highly localized pressure gradients embedded in the near-tail R2 source region via the local upward FAC. Motoba, T.; Ohtani, S.; Anderson, B.; Korth, H.; Mitchell, D.; Lanzerotti, L.; Shiokawa, K.; Connors, M.; Kletzing, C.; Reeves, G.; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 10/2015 YEAR: 2015 DOI: 10.1002/jgra.v120.1010.1002/2015JA021676 FACs; growth phase/onset arc; M-I coupling; Van Allen Probes |
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Van Allen Probes observations in the outer radiation belt have demonstrated an abundance of electrostatic electron-acoustic double layers (DL). DLs are frequently accompanied by field-aligned (bidirectional) pitch angle distributions (PAD) of electrons with energies from hundred eVs up to several keV. We perform numerical simulations of the DL interaction with thermal electrons making use of the test particle approach. DL parameters assumed in the simulations are adopted from observations. We show that DLs accelerate thermal electrons parallel to the magnetic field via the electrostatic Fermi mechanism, i.e., due to reflections from DL potential humps. The electron energy gain is larger for larger DL scalar potential amplitudes and higher propagation velocities. In addition to the Fermi mechanism, electrons can be trapped by DLs in their generation region and accelerated due to transport to higher latitudes. Both mechanisms result in formation of field-aligned PADs for electrons with energies comparable to those found in observations. The Fermi mechanism provides field-aligned PADs for <1 keV electrons, while the trapping mechanism extends field-aligned PADs to higher-energy electrons. It is shown that the Fermi mechanism can result in scattering into the loss cone of up to several tenths of percent of electrons with flux peaking at energies up to several hundred eVs. Vasko, I; Agapitov, O.; Mozer, F.; Artemyev, A.; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 10/2015 YEAR: 2015 DOI: 10.1002/2015JA021644 double layers; Fermi mechanism; field-aligned pitch angle distributions; outer radiation belt; thermal electron acceleration; Van Allen Probes |
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\textquotedblleftTrunk-like\textquotedblright heavy ion structures observed by the Van Allen Probes Dynamic ion spectral features in the inner magnetosphere are the observational signatures of ion acceleration, transport, and loss in the global magnetosphere. We report \textquotedbllefttrunk-like\textquotedblright ion structures observed by the Van Allen Probes on 2 November 2012. This new type of ion structure looks like an elephant\textquoterights trunk on an energy-time spectrogram, with the energy of the peak flux decreasing Earthward. The trunks are present in He+ and O+ ions but not in H+. During the event, ion energies in the He+ trunk, located at L = 3.6\textendash2.6, MLT = 9.1\textendash10.5, and MLAT = -2.4\textendash0.09\textdegree, vary monotonically from 3.5 to 0.04 keV. The values at the two end points of the O+ trunk are: energy = 4.5\textendash0.7 keV, L = 3.6\textendash2.5, MLT = 9.1\textendash10.7, and MLAT = -2.4\textendash0.4\textdegree. Results from backward ion drift path tracings indicate that the trunks are likely due to 1) a gap in the nightside ion source or 2) greatly enhanced impulsive electric fields associated with elevated geomagnetic activity. Different ion loss lifetimes cause the trunks to differ among ion species. Zhang, J.-C.; Kistler, L.; Spence, H.; Wolf, R.; Reeves, G.; Skoug, R.; Funsten, H.; Larsen, B.; Niehof, J.; MacDonald, E.; Friedel, R.; Ferradas, C.; Luo, H.; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 10/2015 YEAR: 2015 DOI: 10.1002/2015JA021822 inner magnetosphere; ion injection; Ion structure; magnetic cloud; magnetic storm; Van Allen Probes |
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Plasmaspheric hiss plays an important role in controlling the overall structure and dynamics of the Earth\textquoterights radiation belts. The interaction of plasmaspheric hiss with radiation belt electrons is commonly evaluated using diffusion codes, which rely on statistical models of wave observations that may not accurately reproduce the instantaneous global wave distribution, or the limited in-situ satellite wave measurements from satellites. This paper evaluates the performance and limitations of a novel technique capable of inferring wave amplitudes from low-altitude electron flux observations from the POES spacecraft, which provide extensive coverage in L-shell and MLT. We found that, within its limitations, this technique could potentially be used to build a dynamic global model of the plasmaspheric hiss wave intensity. The technique is validated by analyzing the conjunctions between the POES spacecraft and the Van Allen Probes from September 2012 to June 2014. The technique performs well for moderate-to-strong hiss activity (>=30 pT) with sufficiently high electron fluxes. The main source of these limitations is the number of counts of energetic electrons measured by the POES spacecraft capable of resonating with hiss waves. For moderate-to-strong hiss events, the results show that the wave amplitudes from the EMFISIS instruments onboard the Van Allen Probes are well reproduced by the POES technique, which provides more consistent estimates than the parameterized statistical hiss wave model based on CRRES data. de Soria-Santacruz, M.; Li, W.; Thorne, R.; Ma, Q.; Bortnik, J.; Ni, B.; Kletzing, C.; Kurth, W.; Hospodarsky, G.; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 10/2015 YEAR: 2015 DOI: 10.1002/2015JA021148 Plasmaspheric Hiss; Van Allen Probes; wave-particle interactions; Waves global model |
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We present the first simultaneous observations of the in situ ions and global Energetic Neutral Atom (ENA) images of the composition-separated, medium-energy (~1\textendash50 keV) particle populations of the inner magnetosphere. The ENA emissions are mapped into L shell/magnetic local time space based on the exospheric density along the line of sight (LOS). The ENA measurement can then be scaled to determine an average ion flux along a given LOS. The in situ ion flux tends to be larger than the scaled ENAs at the same local time. This indicates that the ion population is more concentrated in the Van Allen Probes orbital plane than distributed along the Two Wide-angle Imaging Neutral-atom Spectrometers LOS. For the large storm of 14 November 2012, we observe that the concentration of O (in situ ions and ENAs) increases during the storm\textquoterights main phase with a relatively larger increase than H. The ratio of the O+/H+ can be measured both from the in situ observations and from the ENA images. During the main phase, this O+/H+ increase is initially seen near midnight, but when the storm reaches its peak value the O+/H+ ratio increases across all local times, with the largest at dusk and dawn. Valek, P.; Goldstein, J.; Jahn, J.-M.; McComas, D.; Spence, H.; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 09/2015 YEAR: 2015 DOI: 10.1002/2015JA021151 |
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The Van Allen Probes mission provides an unprecedented opportunity to make detailed measurements of electrons and protons in the inner magnetosphere during the weak solar maximum period of cycle 24. Data from the MagEIS suite of sensors measures energy spectra, fluxes, and yields electron deposition rates that can cause internal charging. We use omni-directional fluxes of electrons and protons to calculate the dose under varying materials and thicknesses of shielding (similar to Fennell et al., 2010). We show examples of charge deposition rates during times of nominal and high levels of penetrating fluxes in the inner magnetosphere covering the period from late 2012 through 2013. These charge deposition rates are related to charging levels quite possibly encountered by shielded dielectrics with different resistivity. Temporal profiles showing the long-term long charge deposition-rate and estimated charge density levels are an indicator of the level of internal charging rates that satellites in the inner magnetosphere could experience. These results are compared to charge densities that can induce internal ESD (IESD). Skov, Mulligan; Fennell, J.F.; Roeder, J.L.; Blake, J.B.; Claudepierre, S.G.; Published by: Published on: 09/2015 YEAR: 2015 DOI: 10.1109/TPS.2015.2468214 |
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The Van Allen Probes mission provides an unprecedented opportunity to make detailed measurements of electrons and protons in the inner magnetosphere during the weak solar maximum period of cycle 24. The MagEIS suite of sensors measures energy spectra and fluxes of charged particles in the space environment. The calculations show that these fluxes result in electron deposition rates high enough to cause internal charging. We use omnidirectional fluxes of electrons and protons to calculate the dose under varying materials and thicknesses of shielding. We show examples of charge deposition rates during the times of nominal and high levels of penetrating fluxes in the inner magnetosphere covering the period from the beginning of 2013 through mid-2014. These charge deposition rates are related to charging levels quite possibly encountered by shielded dielectrics with different resistivities. Using a simple model, we find temporal profiles for different materials showing the long-term charge deposition rate and estimated charge density levels reaching high levels. These levels are an indicator of internal charging rates that satellites might possibly experience in the inner magnetosphere. The results are compared with charge densities that can induce internal electrostatic discharge. Skov, Tamitha; Fennell, Joseph; Roeder, James; Blake, Bernard; Claudepierre, Seth; Published by: IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science Published on: 09/2015 YEAR: 2015 DOI: 10.1109/TPS.2015.2468214 artificial satellites; dielectric materials; electrons; Energy measurement; MAGEis; Magnetosphere; particle detectors; protons; Van Allen Probes |
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We perform a statistical study of electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves detected by the Van Allen Probes mission to investigate the spatial distribution of their occurrence, wave power, ellipticity, and normal angle. The Van Allen Probes have been used which allow us to explore the inner magnetosphere (1.1 to 5.8 Re). Magnetic field measurements from the Electric and Magnetic Field Instrument Suite and Integrated Science onboard the Van Allen Probes are used to identify EMIC wave events for the first 22 months of the mission operation (8 September 2012 \textendash 30 June 2014). EMIC waves are examined in H+-, He+-, and O+-bands. Over 700 EMIC wave events have been identified over the three different wave bands (265 H+-band events, 438 He+-band events, and 68 O+-band events). EMIC wave events are observed between L = 2 \textendash 8, with over 140 EMIC wave events observed below L = 4. Results show that H+-band EMIC waves have two peak MLT occurrence regions: pre-noon (0900 < MLT <= 1200) and afternoon (1500 < MLT <= 1700) sectors. He+-band EMIC waves feature an overall stronger dayside occurrence. O+-band EMIC waves have one peak region located in the morning sector at lower L-shells (L < 4). He+-band EMIC waves average the highest wave power overall (>0.1 nT2/Hz), especially in the afternoon sector. Ellipticity observations reveal that linearly polarized EMIC wave dominate in lower L-shells. Saikin, A.; Zhang, J.-C.; Allen, R.C.; Smith, C.; Kistler, L.; Spence, H.; Torbert, R.; Kletzing, C.; Jordanova, V.; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 09/2015 YEAR: 2015 DOI: 10.1002/2015JA021358 EMIC waves; Fast Fourier Transform; spatial distribution; Van Allen Probes |
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Penetration of magnetosonic waves into the plasmasphere observed by the Van Allen Probes During the small storm on 14\textendash15 April 2014, Van Allen Probe A measured a continuously distinct proton ring distribution and enhanced magnetosonic (MS) waves along its orbit outside the plasmapause. Inside the plasmasphere, strong MS waves were still present but the distinct proton ring distribution was falling steeply with distance. We adopt a sum of subtracted bi-Maxwellian components to model the observed proton ring distribution and simulate the wave trajectory and growth. MS waves at first propagate toward lower L shells outside the plasmasphere, with rapidly increasing path gains related to the continuous proton ring distribution. The waves then gradually cross the plasmapause into the deep plasmasphere, with almost unchanged path gains due to the falling proton ring distribution and higher ambient density. These results present the first report on how MS waves penetrate into the plasmasphere with the aid of the continuous proton ring distributions during weak geomagnetic activities. Xiao, Fuliang; Zhou, Qinghua; He, Yihua; Yang, Chang; Liu, Si; Baker, D.; Spence, H.; Reeves, G.; Funsten, H.; Blake, J.; Published by: Geophysical Research Letters Published on: 09/2015 YEAR: 2015 DOI: 10.1002/2015GL065745 Geomagnetic storms; magnetosonic waves; proton ring distribution; Radiation belts; Van Allen Probe results; Van Allen Probes; Wave-particle interaction |
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During early November 2013, the magnetosphere experienced concurrent driving by a coronal mass ejection (CME) during an ongoing high-speed stream (HSS) event. The relativistic electron response to these two kinds of drivers, i.e., HSS and CME, is typically different, with the former often leading to a slower buildup of electrons at larger radial distances, while the latter energizing electrons rapidly with flux enhancements occurring closer to the Earth.We present a detailed analysis of the relativistic electron response including radial profiles of phase space density as observed by both MagEIS and REPT instruments on the Van Allen Probes mission. Data from the MagEIS instrument establishes the behavior of lower energy (<1MeV) electrons which span both intermediary and seed populations during electron energization. Measurements characterizing the plasma waves and magnetospheric electric and magnetic fields during this period are obtained by the EMFISIS instrument on board Van Allen Probes, SCM and FGM instruments onboard THEMIS, and the low altitude polar orbiting POES satellite. These observations suggest that, during this time period, both radial transport and local in-situ processes are involved in the energization of electrons. The energization attributable to radial diffusion is most clearly evident for the lower energy (<1MeV) electrons, while the effects of in-situ energization by interaction of chorus waves are prominent in the higher energy electrons. Kanekal, S.; Baker, D.; Henderson, M.; Li, W.; Fennell, J.; Zheng, Y.; Richardson, I.; Jones, A.; Ali, A.; Elkington, S.; Jaynes, A.; Li, X.; Blake, J.; Reeves, G.; Spence, H.; Kletzing, C.; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 09/2015 YEAR: 2015 DOI: 10.1002/2015JA021395 CME; HSS; Van Allen Probes; IP shock; relativistic electrons |
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Determining preferential solar wind conditions leading to efficient radiation belt electron acceleration is crucial for predicting radiation belt electron dynamics. Using Van Allen Probes electron observations (>1 MeV) from 2012 to 2015, we identify a number of efficient and inefficient acceleration events separately to perform a superposed epoch analysis of the corresponding solar wind parameters and geomagnetic indices. By directly comparing efficient and inefficient acceleration events, we clearly show that prolonged southward Bz, high solar wind speed, and low dynamic pressure are critical for electron acceleration to >1 MeV energies in the heart of the outer radiation belt. We also evaluate chorus wave evolution using the superposed epoch analysis for the identified efficient and inefficient acceleration events and find that chorus wave intensity is much stronger and lasts longer during efficient electron acceleration events, supporting the scenario that chorus waves play a key role in MeV electron acceleration. Li, W.; Thorne, R.; Bortnik, J.; Baker, D.; Reeves, G.; Kanekal, S.; Spence, H.; Green, J.; Published by: Geophysical Research Letters Published on: 09/2015 YEAR: 2015 DOI: 10.1002/2015GL065342 Chorus wave; Electron acceleration; solar wind conditions; Van Allen Probes |
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We show the first evidence for locally excited chorus at frequencies below 0.1 fce (electron cyclotron frequency) in the outer radiation belt. A statistical study of chorus during geomagnetic storms observed by the Van Allen Probes found that frequencies are often dramatically lower than expected. The frequency at peak power suddenly stops tracking the equatorial 0.5 fce and f/fce decreases rapidly, often to frequencies well below 0.1 fce (in situ and mapped to equator). These very low frequency waves are observed both when the satellites are close to the equatorial plane and at higher magnetic latitudes. Poynting flux is consistent with generation at the equator. Wave amplitudes can be up to 20 to 40 mV/m and 2 to 4 nT. We conclude that conditions during moderate to large storms can excite unusually low frequency chorus, which is resonant with more energetic electrons than typical chorus, with critical implications for understanding radiation belt evolution. Cattell, C.; Breneman, A.; Thaller, S.; Wygant, J.; Kletzing, C.; Kurth, W.; Published by: Geophysical Research Letters Published on: 09/2015 YEAR: 2015 DOI: 10.1002/2015GL065565 |
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Broadband low frequency electromagnetic waves in the inner magnetosphere A prominent yet largely unrecognized feature of the inner magnetosphere associated with particle injections, and more generally geomagnetic storms, is the occurrence of broadband electromagnetic field fluctuations over spacecraft frame frequencies (fsc) extending from effectively zero to fsc ≳ 100 Hz. Using observations from the Van Allen Probes we show that these waves most commonly occur pre-midnight but are observed over a range of local times extending into the dayside magnetosphere. We find that the variation of magnetic spectral energy density with fsc obeys inline image over several decades with a spectral break-point at fb ≈1 Hz. The values for α are log normally distributed with α = 1.9 \textpm 0.6 for fsc < fb andα = 2.9 \textpm 0.6 for fsc > fb. A is a function of geomagnetic activity with the largest values observed over intervals of decreasing Dst index during the main phase of geomagnetic storms. At these times these waves are nearly always present in the night-side inner magnetosphere and are commonly observed from L = 3 outward. The observed variation of the electric to magnetic field amplitude with fsc is well described by a dispersive Alfv\ en wave model under the assumption that fsc is primarily a consequence of the Doppler shift of plasma frame structures moving over the spacecraft. The robust anti-correlation between the time rate change of the Dst index and wave spectral energy density coupled with the ability of dispersive Alfv\ en waves to drive transverse ion acceleration suggests that these waves may boost ion energy density in the inner magnetosphere and intensify the ring current during storm times. Chaston, C.; Bonnell, J.; Kletzing, C.; Hospodarsky, G.; Wygant, J.; Smith, C.; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 09/2015 YEAR: 2015 DOI: 10.1002/2015JA021690 Alfven waves; Geomagnetic storms; ring current; turbulence; Van Allen Probes |
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This study is focused on understanding the coupling between different electron populations in the inner magnetosphere and the various physical processes that determine evolution of electron fluxes at different energies. Observations during the March 17, 2013 storm and simulations with a newly developed Versatile Electron Radiation Belt-4D (VERB-4D) are presented. Analysis of the drift trajectories of the energetic and relativistic electrons shows that electron trajectories at transitional energies with a first invariant on the scale of ~100MeV/G may resemble ring current or relativistic electron trajectories depending on the level of geomagnetic activity. Simulations with the VERB-4D code including convection, radial diffusion, and energy diffusion are presented. Sensitivity simulations including various physical processes show how different acceleration mechanisms contribute to the energization of energetic electrons at transitional energies. In particular, the range of energies where inward transport is strongly influenced by both convection and radial diffusion are studied. The results of the 4D simulations are compared to Van Allen Probes observations at a range of energies including source, seed, and core populations of the energetic and relativistic electrons in the inner magnetosphere. Shprits, Yuri; Kellerman, Adam; Drozdov, Alexander; Spense, Harlan; Reeves, Geoffrey; Baker, Daniel; Published by: Geophysical Research Letters Published on: 09/2015 YEAR: 2015 DOI: 10.1002/2015GL065230 inner magnetosphere; numerical simulations; Radiation belts; ring current; Van Allen Probes; wave-particle interactions |
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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 |
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We report on simultaneous spacecraft and ground-based observations of quasiperiodic VLF emissions and related energetic-electron dynamics. Quasiperiodic emissions in the frequency range 2\textendash6 kHz were observed during a substorm on 25 January 2013 by Van Allen Probe-A and a ground-based station in the Northern Finland. The spacecraft detected the VLF signals near the geomagnetic equator in the night sector at L = 3.0\textendash4.2 when it was inside the plasmasphere. During the satellite motion toward higher latitudes, the time interval between quasiperiodic elements decreased from 6 min to 3 min. We find one-to-one correspondence between the quasiperiodic elements detected by Van Allen Probe-A and on the ground, which indicates the temporal nature of the observed variation in the time interval between quasiperiodic elements. Multiсomponent measurements of the wave electric and magnetic fields by the Van Allen Probe-A show that the quasiperiodic emissions were almost circularly right-hand polarized whistler mode waves and had predominantly small (below 30\textdegree) wave vector angles with respect to the magnetic field. In the probable source region of these signals (L about 4), we observed synchronous variations of electron distribution function at energies of 10\textendash20 keV and the quasiperiodic elements. In the pause between the quasiperiodic elements pitch angle distribution of these electrons had a maximum near 90\textdegree, while they become more isotropic during the development of quasiperiodic elements. The parallel energies of the electrons for which the data suggest direct evidence of the wave-particle interactions is in a reasonable agreement with the estimated cyclotron resonance energy for the observed waves. Titova, E.; Kozelov, B.; Demekhov, A.; Manninen, J.; Santolik, O.; Kletzing, C.; Reeves, G.; Published by: Geophysical Research Letters Published on: 08/2015 YEAR: 2015 DOI: 10.1002/grl.v42.1510.1002/2015GL064911 energetic electrons; quasiperiodic emissions; Van Allen Probes; VLF waves |
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Imprints of impulse-excited hydromagnetic waves on electrons in the Van Allen radiation belts Ultralow frequency electromagnetic oscillations, interpreted as standing hydromagnetic waves in the magnetosphere, are a major energy source that accelerates electrons to relativistic energies in the Van Allen radiation belt. Electrons can rapidly gain energy from the waves when they resonate via a process called drift resonance, which is observationally characterized by energy-dependent phase differences between electron flux and electromagnetic oscillations. Such dependence has been recently observed and interpreted as spacecraft identifications of drift resonance electron acceleration. Here we show that in the initial wave cycles, the observed phase relationship differs from that characteristic of well-developed drift resonance. We further examine the differences and find that they are imprints of impulse-excited, coupled fast-Alfv\ en waves before they transform into more typical standing waves. Our identification of such imprints provides a new understanding of how energy couples in the inner magnetosphere, and a new diagnostic for the generation and growth of magnetospheric hydromagnetic pulsations. Zhou, Xu-Zhi; Wang, Zi-Han; Zong, Qiu-Gang; Claudepierre, Seth; Mann, Ian; Kivelson, Margaret; Angelopoulos, Vassilis; Hao, Yi-Xin; Wang, Yong-Fu; Pu, Zu-Yin; Published by: Geophysical Research Letters Published on: 08/2015 YEAR: 2015 DOI: 10.1002/grl.v42.1510.1002/2015GL064988 drift resonance; Radiation belt; ULF waves; Van Allen Probes; wave growth; Wave-particle interaction |
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Magnetohydrodynamic modeling of three Van Allen Probes storms in 2012 and 2013 Coronal mass ejection (CME)-shock compression of the dayside magnetopause has been observed to cause both prompt enhancement of radiation belt electron flux due to inward radial transport of electrons conserving their first adiabatic invariant and prompt losses which at times entirely eliminate the outer zone. Recent numerical studies suggest that enhanced ultra-low frequency (ULF) wave activity is necessary to explain electron losses deeper inside the magnetosphere than magnetopause incursion following CME-shock arrival. A combination of radial transport and magnetopause shadowing can account for losses observed at radial distances into L = 4.5, well within the computed magnetopause location. We compare ULF wave power from the Electric Field and Waves (EFW) electric field instrument on the Van Allen Probes for the 8 October 2013 storm with ULF wave power simulated using the Lyon\textendashFedder\textendashMobarry (LFM) global magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) magnetospheric simulation code coupled to the Rice Convection Model (RCM). Two other storms with strong magnetopause compression, 8\textendash9 October 2012 and 17\textendash18 March 2013, are also examined. We show that the global MHD model captures the azimuthal magnetosonic impulse propagation speed and amplitude observed by the Van Allen Probes which is responsible for prompt acceleration at MeV energies reported for the 8 October 2013 storm. The simulation also captures the ULF wave power in the azimuthal component of the electric field, responsible for acceleration and radial transport of electrons, at frequencies comparable to the electron drift period. This electric field impulse has been shown to explain observations in related studies (Foster et al., 2015) of electron acceleration and drift phase bunching by the Energetic Particle, Composition, and Thermal Plasma Suite (ECT) instrument on the Van Allen Probes. Paral, J.; Hudson, M.; Kress, B.; Wiltberger, M.; Wygant, J.; Singer, H.; Published by: Annales Geophysicae Published on: 08/2015 YEAR: 2015 DOI: 10.5194/angeo-33-1037-2015 |
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Modeling the spatio-temporal evolution of relativistic electron fluxes trapped in the Earth\textquoterights radiation belts in the presence of radial diffusion coupled with wave-induced losses should address one important question: how deep can relativistic electrons penetrate into the inner magnetosphere? However, a full modelling requires extensive numerical simulations solving the comprehensive quasi-linear equations describing pitch-angle and radial diffusion of the electron distribution, making it rather difficult to perform parametric studies of the flux behavior. Here, we consider the particular situation where a localized flux peak (or storage ring) has been produced at low L < 4 during a period of strong disturbances, through a combination of chorus-induced energy diffusion (or direct injection) at low L together with enhanced wave-induced losses and outward radial transport at higher L. Assuming that radial diffusion can be further described as the spatial broadening within the plasmasphere of this pre-existing flux peak, simple approximate analytical solutions for the distribution of trapped relativistic electrons are derived. Such a simplified formalism provides a convenient means for easily determining whether radial diffusion actually prevails over atmospheric losses at any particular time for given electron energy E and location L. It is further used to infer favorable conditions for relativistic electron access to the inner belt, providing an explanation for the relative scarcity of such a feat under most circumstances. Comparisons with electron flux measurements on board the Van Allen Probes show a reasonable agreement between a few weeks and four months after the formation of a flux peak. Mourenas, D.; Artemyev, A.; Agapitov, O.V.; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 08/2015 YEAR: 2015 DOI: 10.1002/2015JA021623 inner belt; Keywords: radial diffusion; Radiation belts; Van Allen Probes |
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Low-harmonic magnetosonic waves observed by the Van Allen Probes Purely compressional electromagnetic waves (fast magnetosonic waves), generated at multiple harmonics of the local proton gyrofrequency, have been observed by various types of satellite instruments (fluxgate and search coil magnetometers and electric field sensors), but most recent studies have used data from search coil sensors, and many have been restricted to high harmonics. We report here on a survey of low-harmonic waves, based on electric and magnetic field data from the EFW double probe and EMFISIS fluxgate magnetometer instruments, respectively, on the Van Allen Probes spacecraft during its first full precession through all local times, from October 1, 2012 through July 13, 2014. These waves were observed both inside and outside the plasmapause (PP), at L shells from 2.4 to ~6 (the spacecraft apogee), and in regions with plasma number densities ranging from 10 to >1000 cm-3. Consistent with earlier studies, wave occurrence was sharply peaked near the magnetic equator. Waves appeared at all local times but were more common from noon to dusk, and often occurred within three hours after substorm injections. Outside the PP occurrence maximized broadly across noon, and inside the PP occurrence maximized in the dusk sector, in an extended plasmasphere. We confirm recent ray-tracing studies showing wave refraction and/or reflection at PP-like boundaries. Comparison with waveform receiver data indicates that in some cases these low-harmonic magnetosonic wave events occurred independently of higher-harmonic waves; this indicates the importance of including this population in future studies of radiation belt dynamics. Posch, J.; Engebretson, M.; Olson, C.; Thaller, S.; Breneman, A.; Wygant, J.; Boardsen, S.; Kletzing, C.; Smith, C.; Reeves, G.; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 07/2015 YEAR: 2015 DOI: 10.1002/2015JA021179 equatorial noise; inner magnetosphere; magnetosonic waves; Van Allen Probes; waves in plasmas |
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Substorms generally inject 10s-100s keV electrons, but intense substorm electric fields have been shown to inject MeV electrons as well. An intriguing question is whether such MeV electron injections can populate the outer radiation belt. Here we present observations of a substorm injection of MeV electrons into the inner magnetosphere. In the pre-midnight sector at L\~5.5, Van Allen Probes (RBSP)-A observed a large dipolarization electric field (50mV/m) over \~40s and a dispersionless injection of electrons up to \~3 MeV. Pitch angle observations indicated betatron acceleration of MeV electrons at the dipolarization front. Corresponding signals of MeV electron injection were observed at LANL-GEO, THEMIS-D, and GOES at geosynchronous altitude. Through a series of dipolarizations, the injections increased the MeV electron phase space density by one order of magnitude in less than 3 hours in the outer radiation belt (L>4.8). Our observations provide evidence that deep injections can supply significant MeV electrons. Dai, Lei; Wang, Chi; Duan, Suping; He, Zhaohai; Wygant, John; Cattell, Cynthia; Tao, Xin; Su, Zhenpeng; Kletzing, Craig; Baker, Daniel; Li, Xinlin; Malaspina, David; Blake, Bernard; Fennell, Joseph; Claudepierre, Seth; Turner, Drew; Reeves, Geoffrey; Funsten, Herbert; Spence, Harlan; Angelopoulos, Vassilis; Fruehauff, Dennis; Chen, Lunjin; Thaller, Scott; Breneman, Aaron; Tang, Xiangwei; Published by: Geophysical Research Letters Published on: 07/2015 YEAR: 2015 DOI: 10.1002/2015GL064955 electric fields; radiation belt electrons; substorm dipolarization; substorm injection; Van Allen Probes |
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Electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves have been suggested to be a cause of radiation belt electron loss to the atmosphere. Here simultaneous, magnetically conjugate measurements are presented of EMIC wave activity, measured at geosynchronous orbit and on the ground, and energetic electron precipitation, seen by the Balloon Array for Radiation belt Relativistic Electron Losses (BARREL) campaign, on two consecutive days in January 2013. Multiple bursts of precipitation were observed on the duskside of the magnetosphere at the end of 18 January and again late on 19 January, concurrent with particle injections, substorm activity, and enhanced magnetospheric convection. The structure, timing, and spatial extent of the waves are compared to those of the precipitation during both days to determine when and where EMIC waves cause radiation belt electron precipitation. The conjugate measurements presented here provide observational support of the theoretical picture of duskside interaction of EMIC waves and MeV electrons leading to radiation belt loss. Blum, L.; Halford, A.; Millan, R.; Bonnell, J.; Goldstein, J.; Usanova, M.; Engebretson, M.; Ohnsted, M.; Reeves, G.; Singer, H.; Clilverd, M.; Li, X.; Published by: Geophysical Research Letters Published on: 07/2015 YEAR: 2015 DOI: 10.1002/2015GL065245 electron precipitation; EMIC waves; Radiation belts; Van Allen Probes |
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Source and Seed Populations for Relativistic Electrons: Their Roles in Radiation Belt Changes Strong enhancements of outer Van Allen belt electrons have been shown to have a clear dependence on solar wind speed and on the duration of southward interplanetary magnetic field. However, individual case study analyses also have demonstrated that many geomagnetic storms produce little in the way of outer belt enhancements and, in fact, may produce substantial losses of relativistic electrons. In this study, focused upon a key period in August-September 2014, we use GOES geostationary orbit electron flux data and Van Allen Probes particle and fields data to study the process of radiation belt electron acceleration. One particular interval, 13-22 September, initiated by a short-lived geomagnetic storm and characterized by a long period of primarily northward IMF, showed strong depletion of relativistic electrons (including an unprecedented observation of long-lasting depletion at geostationary orbit) while an immediately preceding, and another immediately subsequent, storm showed strong radiation belt enhancement. We demonstrate with these data that two distinct electron populations resulting from magnetospheric substorm activity are crucial elements in the ultimate acceleration of highly relativistic electrons in the outer belt: the source population (tens of keV) that give rise to VLF wave growth; and the seed population (hundreds of keV) that are, in turn, accelerated through VLF wave interactions to much higher energies. ULF waves may also play a role by either inhibiting or enhancing this process through radial diffusion effects. If any components of the inner magnetospheric accelerator happen to be absent, the relativistic radiation belt enhancement fails to materialize. Jaynes, A.N.; Baker, D.N.; Singer, H.J.; Rodriguez, J.V.; Loto\textquoterightaniu, T.M.; Ali, A.; Elkington, S.R.; Li, X.; Kanekal, S.G.; Fennell, J.F.; Li, W.; Thorne, R.M.; Kletzing, C.A.; Spence, H.E.; Reeves, G.D.; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 07/2015 YEAR: 2015 DOI: 10.1002/2015JA021234 Radiation belts; relativistic electrons; substorms; ULF waves; Van Allen Probes; VLF waves |
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We report correlated data on nightside chorus waves and energetic electrons during two small storm periods: 1 November 2012 (Dst≈-45) and 14 January 2013 (Dst≈-18). The Van Allen Probes simultaneously observed strong chorus waves at locations L = 5.8 - 6.3, with a lower frequency band 0.1 - 0.5fce and a peak spectral density \~[10-4 nT2/Hz. In the same period, the fluxes and anisotropy of energetic (\~ 10-300 keV) electrons were greatly enhanced in the interval of large negative interplanetary magnetic field Bz. Using a bi-Maxwellian distribution to model the observed electron distribution, we perform ray tracing simulations to show that nightside chorus waves are indeed produced by the observed electron distribution with a peak growth for a field-aligned propagation around between 0.3fce and 0.4fce, at latitude <7o. Moreover, chorus waves launched with initial normal angles either θ < 90o or >90o propagate along the field either northward or southward, and then bounce back either away from Earth for a lower frequency or towards Earth for higher frequencies. The current results indicate that nightside chorus waves can be excited even during weak geomagnetic activities in cases of continuous injection associated with negative Bz. Moreover, we examine a dayside event during a small storm C on 8 May 2014 (Dst≈-45) and find that the observed anisotropic energetic electron distributions potentially contribute to the generation of dayside chorus waves, but this requires more thorough studies in the future. He, Yihua; Xiao, Fuliang; Zhou, Qinghua; Yang, Chang; Liu, Si; Baker, D.; Kletzing, C.; Kurth, W.; Hospodarsky, G.; Spence, H.; Reeves, G.; Funsten, H.; Blake, J.; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 07/2015 YEAR: 2015 DOI: 10.1002/2015JA021376 chorus wave excitation; energetic electrons; Geomagnetic storm; Van Allen Probes; Van Allen probes results; Wave-particle interaction |
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Theory and observations have linked equatorial VLF waves with pulsating aurora for decades, invoking the process of pitch-angle scattering of 10\textquoterights keV electrons in the equatorial magnetosphere. Recently published satellite studies have strengthened this argument, by showing strong correlation between pulsating auroral patches and both lower-band chorus and 10\textquoterights keV electron modulation in the vicinity of geosynchronous orbit. Additionally, a previous link has been made between Pc4-5 compressional pulsations and modulation of whistler-mode chorus using THEMIS. In the current study, we present simultaneous in-situ observations of structured chorus waves and an apparent field line resonance (in the Pc4-5 range) as a result of a substorm injection, observed by Van Allen Probes, along with ground-based observations of pulsating aurora. We demonstrate the likely scenario being one of substorm-driven Pc4-5 ULF pulsations modulating chorus waves, and thus providing the driver for pulsating particle precipitation into the Earth\textquoterights atmosphere. Interestingly, the modulated chorus wave and ULF wave periods are well correlated, with chorus occurring at half the periodicity of the ULF waves. We also show, for the first time, a particular few-Hz modulation of individual chorus elements that coincides with the same modulation in a nearby pulsating aurora patch. Such modulation has been noticed as a high-frequency component in ground-based camera data of pulsating aurora for decades, and may be a result of nonlinear chorus wave interactions in the equatorial region. Jaynes, A.; Lessard, M.; Takahashi, K.; Ali, A.; Malaspina, D.; Michell, R.; Spanswick, E.; Baker, D.; Blake, J.; Cully, C.; Donovan, E.; Kletzing, C.; Reeves, G.; Samara, M.; Spence, H.; Wygant, J.; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 07/2015 YEAR: 2015 DOI: 10.1002/2015JA021380 aurora; precipitation; pulsating aurora; substorms; ULF waves; Van Allen Probes; VLF waves |
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The effects of geomagnetic storms on electrons in Earth\textquoterights radiation belts We use Van Allen Probes data to investigate the responses of 10s of keV to 2 MeV electrons throughout a broad range of the radiation belts (2.5 <= L <= 6.0) during 52 geomagnetic storms from the most recent solar maximum. Electron storm-time responses are highly dependent on both electron energy and L-shell. 10s of keV electrons typically have peak fluxes in the inner belt or near-Earth plasma sheet and fill the inner magnetosphere during storm main phases. ~100 to ~600 keV electrons are enhanced in up to 87\% of cases around L~3.7, and their peak flux location moves to lower L-shells during storm recovery phases. Relativistic electrons (>=~1 MeV) are nearly equally likely to produce enhancement, depletion, and no-change events in the outer belt. We also show that the L-shell of peak flux correlates to storm magnitude only for 100s of keV electrons. Turner, D.; O\textquoterightBrien, T.; Fennell, J.; Claudepierre, S.; Blake, J.; Kilpua, E.; Hietala, H.; Published by: Geophysical Research Letters Published on: 07/2015 YEAR: 2015 DOI: 10.1002/2015GL064747 electrons; Van Allen Probes; Geomagnetic storms; Radiation belts |
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Global-scale coherence modulation of radiation-belt electron loss from plasmaspheric hiss Over 40 years ago it was suggested that electron loss in the region of the radiation belts that overlaps with the region of high plasma density called the plasmasphere, within four to five Earth radii1, 2, arises largely from interaction with an electromagnetic plasma wave called plasmaspheric hiss3, 4, 5. This interaction strongly influences the evolution of the radiation belts during a geomagnetic storm, and over the course of many hours to days helps to return the radiation-belt structure to its \textquoteleftquiet\textquoteright pre-storm configuration. Observations have shown that the long-term electron-loss rate is consistent with this theory but the temporal and spatial dynamics of the loss process remain to be directly verified. Here we report simultaneous measurements of structured radiation-belt electron losses and the hiss phenomenon that causes the losses. Losses were observed in the form of bremsstrahlung X-rays generated by hiss-scattered electrons colliding with the Earth\textquoterights atmosphere after removal from the radiation belts. Our results show that changes of up to an order of magnitude in the dynamics of electron loss arising from hiss occur on timescales as short as one to twenty minutes, in association with modulations in plasma density and magnetic field. Furthermore, these loss dynamics are coherent with hiss dynamics on spatial scales comparable to the size of the plasmasphere. This nearly global-scale coherence was not predicted and may affect the short-term evolution of the radiation belts during active times. Breneman, A.; Halford, A.; Millan, R.; McCarthy, M.; Fennell, J.; Sample, J.; Woodger, L.; Hospodarsky, G.; Wygant, J.; Cattell, C.; Goldstein, J.; Malaspina, D.; Kletzing, C.; Published by: Nature Published on: 06/2015 YEAR: 2015 DOI: 10.1038/nature14515 |
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In this paper, we study relativistic electron scattering by fast magnetosonic waves. We compare results of test particle simulations and the quasi-linear theory for different spectra of waves to investigate how a fine structure of the wave emission can influence electron resonant scattering. We show that for a realistically wide distribution of wave normal angles theta (i.e., when the dispersion delta theta >= 0.5 degrees), relativistic electron scattering is similar for a wide wave spectrum and for a spectrum consisting in well-separated ion cyclotron harmonics. Comparisons of test particle simulations with quasi-linear theory show that for delta theta > 0.5 degrees, the quasi-linear approximation describes resonant scattering correctly for a large enough plasma frequency. For a very narrow h distribution (when delta theta >= 0.05 degrees), however, the effect of a fine structure in the wave spectrum becomes important. In this case, quasi-linear theory clearly fails in describing accurately electron scattering by fast magnetosonic waves. We also study the effect of high wave amplitudes on relativistic electron scattering. For typical conditions in the earth\textquoterights radiation belts, the quasi-linear approximation cannot accurately describe electron scattering for waves with averaged amplitudes > 300 pT. We discuss various applications of the obtained results for modeling electron dynamics in the radiation belts and in the Earth\textquoterights magnetotail. (C) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC. Artemyev, A.; Mourenas, D.; Agapitov, O.; Krasnoselskikh, V.; Published by: Physics of Plasmas Published on: 06/2015 YEAR: 2015 DOI: 10.1063/1.4922061 chorus waves; CLUSTER SPACECRAFT; equatorial noise; MAGNETIC-FIELD; PLASMA; Quasi-linear diffusion; radiation belt electrons; RESONANT SCATTERING; Van Allen Probes; WHISTLER-MODE WAVES |
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Although most studies of the effects of EMIC waves on Earth\textquoterights outer radiation belt have focused on events in the afternoon sector in the outer plasmasphere or plume region, strong magnetospheric compressions provide an additional stimulus for EMIC wave generation across a large range of local times and L shells. We present here observations of the effects of a wave event on February 23, 2014 that extended over 8 hours in UT and over 12 hours in local time, stimulated by a gradual 4-hour rise and subsequent sharp increases in solar wind pressure. Large-amplitude linearly polarized hydrogen band EMIC waves (up to 25 nT p-p) appeared for over 4 hours at both Van Allen Probes, from late morning through local noon, when these spacecraft were outside the plasmapause, with densities ~5-20 cm-3. Waves were also observed by ground-based induction magnetometers in Antarctica (near dawn), Finland (near local noon), Russia (in the afternoon), and in Canada (from dusk to midnight). Ten passes of NOAA-POES and METOP satellites near the northern footpoint of the Van Allen Probes observed 30-80 keV subauroral proton precipitation, often over extended L shell ranges; other passes identified a narrow L-shell region of precipitation over Canada. Observations of relativistic electrons by the Van Allen Probes showed that the fluxes of more field-aligned and more energetic radiation belt electrons were reduced in response to both the emission over Canada and the more spatially extended emission associated with the compression, confirming the effectiveness of EMIC-induced loss processes for this event. Engebretson, M.; Posch, J.; Wygant, J.; Kletzing, C.; Lessard, M.; Huang, C.-L.; Spence, H.; Smith, C.; Singer, H.; Omura, Y.; Horne, R.; Reeves, G.; Baker, D.; Gkioulidou, M.; Oksavik, K.; Mann, I.; Raita, T; Shiokawa, K.; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 06/2015 YEAR: 2015 DOI: 10.1002/2015JA021227 EMIC waves; magnetospheric compressions; Radiation belts; Van Allen Probes |
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n the dawn sector, L~ 5.5 and MLT~4-7, from 01:30 to 06:00 UT during the November 14th 2012 geomagnetic storm, both Van Allen Probes observed an alternating sequence of locally quiet and disturbed intervals with two strikingly different power fluctuation levels and magnetic field orientations: either small (~10-2 nT2) total power with strong GSM Bx and weak By, or large (~10 nT2) total power with weak Bx, and strong By and Bz components. During both kinds of intervals the fluctuations occur in the vicinity of the local ion gyro-frequencies (0.01-10 Hz) in the spacecraft frame, propagate oblique to the magnetic field, (θ ~ 60\textdegree) and have magnetic compressibility C = |δB|||/|δB⊥| \~ 1, where δB|| (δB⊥) are the average amplitudes of the fluctuations parallel (perpendicular) to the mean field. Electric field fluctuations are present whenever the magnetic field is disturbed, and large electric field fluctuations follow the same pattern for quiet and disturbed intervals. Magnetic frequency power spectra at both spacecraft correspond to steep power-laws \~ f \textendashα with 4 < α < 5 for f ≲ 2 Hz, and 1.1 < α < 1.7 for f ≲ 2 Hz, spectral profiles that are consistent with weak Kinetic Alfv\ en Waves (KAW) turbulence. Electric power is larger than magnetic power for all frequencies above 0.1 Hz, and the ratio increases with increasing frequency. Vlasov linear analysis is consistent with the presence of compressive KAW with k⊥ρi ≲ 1, right-handed polarization and positive magnetic helicity, in the plasma frame, considering a multi-ion plasma. All these results suggest the presence of weak KAW turbulence which dissipates the energy associated with the intermittent sudden changes in the magnetic field during the main phase of the storm. Moya, Pablo.; Pinto, V\; Vi\~nas, Adolfo; Sibeck, David; Kurth, William; Hospodarsky, George; Wygant, John; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 06/2015 YEAR: 2015 DOI: 10.1002/2014JA020281 Kinetic Alfven Waves; Magnetic Storms; Radiation belts; Van Allen Probes |
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A background correction algorithm for Van Allen Probes MagEIS electron flux measurements We describe an automated computer algorithm designed to remove background contamination from the Van Allen Probes MagEIS electron flux measurements. We provide a detailed description of the algorithm with illustrative examples from on-orbit data. We find two primary sources of background contamination in the MagEIS electron data: inner zone protons and bremsstrahlung X-rays generated by energetic electrons interacting with the spacecraft material. Bremsstrahlung X-rays primarily produce contamination in the lower energy MagEIS electron channels (~30-500 keV) and in regions of geospace where multi-MeV electrons are present. Inner zone protons produce contamination in all MagEIS energy channels at roughly L < 2.5. The background corrected MagEIS electron data produce a more accurate measurement of the electron radiation belts, as most earlier measurements suffer from unquantifiable and uncorrectable contamination in this harsh region of the near-Earth space environment. These background-corrected data will also be useful for spacecraft engineering purposes, providing ground truth for the near-Earth electron environment and informing the next generation of spacecraft design models (e.g., AE9). Claudepierre, S.; O\textquoterightBrien, T.; Blake, J.; Fennell, J.; Roeder, J.; Clemmons, J.; Looper, M.; Mazur, J.; Mulligan, T.; Spence, H.; Reeves, G.; Friedel, R.; Henderson, M.; Larsen, B.; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 06/2015 YEAR: 2015 DOI: 10.1002/2015JA021171 Background contamination; Inner radiation belt; outer radiation belt; Particle measurements; Radiation belt; Spacecraft engineering; Van Allen Probes |
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The Van-Allen probes, low-altitude NOAA satellite, MetOp satellite and riometer are used to analyze variations of precipitating energetic electron fluxes and cosmic radio noise absorption (CNA) driven by plasmaspheric hiss with respect to geomagnetic activities. The hiss-driven energetic electron precipitations (at L~4.7-5.3, MLT~8-9) are observed during geomagnetic quiet condition and substorms, respectively. We find that the CNA detected by riometers increased very little in the hiss-driven event during quiet condition on September 06, 2012. The hiss-driven enhancement of riometer was still little during the first substorm on September 30, 2012. However, the absorption detected by the riometer largely increased while the energies of the injected electrons became higher during the second substorm on September 30, 2012. The enhancement of CNA (ΔCNA) observed by the riometer and calculated with precipitating energetic electrons are in agreement during the second substorm, implying that the precipitating energetic electrons increase CNA to an obviously detectable level of the riometer during the second substorm on September 30, 2012. The conclusion is consistent with Rodger et al. (2012), which suggests that the higher level of ΔCNA prefer to occur in the substorms, because substorms may produce more intense energetic electron precipitation associated with electron injection. Furthermore, the combination of the observations and theory calculations also suggests that higher-energy electron (>55 keV) precipitation contribute more to the ΔCNA than the lower-energy electron precipitation. In this paper, the higher-energy electron precipitation is related to lower-frequency hiss. Li, Haimeng; Yuan, Zhigang; Yu, Xiongdong; Huang, Shiyong; Wang, Dedong; Wang, Zhenzhen; Qiao, Zheng; Wygant, John; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 06/2015 YEAR: 2015 DOI: 10.1002/2015JA021113 cosmic radio noise absorption; energetic electron precipitation; hiss; substorm; Van Allen Probes |
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Huge numbers of different non-linear structures (double layers, electron holes, non-linear whistlers, etc. referred to as Time Domain Structures - TDS) have been observed by the electric field experiment on the Van Allen Probes. Some of them are associated with whistler waves. Such TDS often emerge on the forward edges of the whistler wave packets and form chains. The parametric decay of a whistler wave into a whistler wave propagating in the opposite direction and an electron acoustic wave is studied experimentally as well as analytically, using Van Allen Probes data. The resulting electron acoustic wave is considered to be the source of electron scale TDS. The measured parameters of the three waves (two whistlers and the electron acoustic wave) are in a good agreement with an assumption of their parametric interaction: ω0 = ω1 + ω2 and inline image. The bi-coherence analysis shows the non-linear nature of the observed electron-acoustic waves as well as the whistler wave and electron acoustic wave phase relation. The estimated decay instability growth rate shows that the process of three wave interaction can develop in a characteristic time smaller than one second, thus the process is rapid enough to explain the observations. This induced parametric interaction can be one of the mechanisms for quasi-periodic TDS generation in the outer Van Allen radiation belt. Agapitov, O.; Krasnoselskikh, V.; Mozer, F.; Artemyev, A.; Volokitin, A.; Published by: Geophysical Research Letters Published on: 05/2015 YEAR: 2015 DOI: 10.1002/2015GL064145 electron acoustic waves; nonlinear structure formation; parametric decay of whistlers; Van Allen Probes |
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The twin Van Allen Probes spacecraft witnessed a series of lobe encounters between 0200 and 0515 UT on November 14th 2012. Although lobe entry had been observed previously by the other spacecraft, the two Van Allen Probe spacecraft allow us to observe the motion of the boundary for the first time. Moreover, this event is unique in that it consists of a series of six quasi-periodic lobe entries. The events occurred on the dawn flank between 4 and 6.6 local time and at altitudes between 5.6 and 6.2 RE. During the events Dst dropped to less than -100nT with the IMF being strongly southward (Bz = -15nT) and eastward (By = 20 nT). Observations by LANL GEO spacecraft at geosynchronous orbit also show lobe encounters in the northern hemisphere and on the dusk flank. The two spacecraft configuration provides strong evidence that these periodic entries into the lobe are the result of local expansions of the OCB propagating from the tail and passing over the Van Allen Probes. Examination of pitch angle binned data from the HOPE instrument shows spatially large, accelerated ion structures occurring near simultaneously at both spacecraft, with the presence of oxygen indicating that they have an ionospheric source. The outflows are dispersed in energy and are detected when the spacecraft are on both open and closed field lines. These events provide a chance to examine the global magnetic field topology in detail, as well as smaller scale spatial and temporal characteristics of the OCB, allowing us to constrain the position of the open/closed field line boundary and compare it to a global MHD model using a novel method. This technique shows that the model can reproduce a periodic approach and retreat of the OCB from the spacecraft but can overestimate its distance by as much as 3 RE. The model appears to simulate the dynamic processes that cause the spacecraft to encounter the lobe but incorrectly maps the overall topology of the magnetosphere during these extreme conditions. Dixon, P.; MacDonald, E.; Funsten, H.; Glocer, A.; Grande, M.; Kletzing, C.; Larsen, B.; Reeves, G.; Skoug, R.; Spence, H.; Thomsen, M.; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 05/2015 YEAR: 2015 DOI: 10.1002/2014JA020883 Lobes; Magnetosphere; Modelling; Open/closed field line boundary; Van Allen Probes |
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Simultaneous Pi2 observations by the Van Allen Probes inside and outside the plasmasphere Plasmaspheric virtual resonance (PVR) model has been proposed as one of source mechanisms for low-latitude Pi2 pulsations. Since PVR-associated Pi2 pulsations are not localized inside the plasmasphere, simultaneous multipoint observations inside and outside the plasmasphere require to test the PVR model. Until now, however, there are few studies using simultaneous multisatellite observations inside and outside the plasmasphere for understanding the radial structure of Pi2 pulsation. In this study, we focus on the Pi2 event observed at low-latitude Bohyun (BOH, L = 1.35) ground station in South Korea in the postmidnight sector (magnetic local time (MLT) = 3.0) for the interval from 1730 to 1900 UT on 12 March 2013. By using electron density derived from the frequency of the upper hybrid waves detected at Van Allen Probe-A (VAP-A) and Van Allen Probe-B (VAP-B), the plasmapause is identified. At the time of the Pi2 event, VAP-A was outside the plasmasphere near midnight (00:55 MLT and L = ~6), while VAP-B was inside the plasmasphere in the postmidnight sector (02:15 MLT and L = ~5). VAP-B observed oscillations in the compressional magnetic field component (Bz) and the dawn-to-dusk electric field component (Ey), having high coherence with the BOH Pi2 pulsation in the H component. The H - Bz and H - Ey cross phases at VAP-B inside the plasmasphere were near -180\textdegree and -90\textdegree, respectively.These phase relationships among Bz, Ey, and H are consistent with a radially standing oscillation of the fundamental mode reported in previous studies. At VAP-A outside the plasmasphere, Bz oscillations were highly correlated with BOH Pi2 pulsations with ~-180\textdegree phase delay, and the H-Ey cross phase is near -90\textdegree. From these two-satellite observations, we suggest that the fundamental PVR mode is directly detected by VAP-A and VAP-B. Ghamry, E.; Kim, K.-H.; Kwon, H.-J.; Lee, D.-H.; Park, J.-S.; Choi, J.; Hyun, K.; Kurth, W.; Kletzing, C.; Wygant, J.; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 05/2015 YEAR: 2015 DOI: 10.1002/2015JA021095 Pi2; plasmasphere; Plasmaspheric virtual resonance; Van Allen Probes |
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Statistical characteristic of EMIC waves: Van Allen Probe observations Utilizing the data from the magnetometer instrument which is a part of the Electric and Magnetic Field Instrument Suite and Integrated Science (EMFISIS) instrument suite onboard the Van Allen Probe A from Sep. 2012 to Apr. 2014, when the apogee of the satellite has passed all the MLT sectors, we obtain the statistical distribution characteristic of EMIC waves in the inner magnetosphere over all local times from L=3 to L=6. Compared with the previous statistical results about EMIC waves, the occurrence rates of EMIC waves distribute relatively uniform in the MLT sectors in lower L-shells. On the other hand, in higher L-shells, there are indeed some peaks of the occurrence rate for the EMIC waves, especially in the noon, dusk and night sectors. EMIC waves appear at lower L-shells in the dawn sector than in other sectors. In the lower L-shells (L<4), the occurrence rates of EMIC waves are significant in the dawn sector. This phenomenon may result from the distribution characteristic of the plasmasphere. The location of the plasmapause is usually lower in the dawn sector than that in other sectors, and the plasmapause is considered to be the favored region for the generation of EMIC waves. In higher L-shells (L>4) the occurrence rates of EMIC waves are most significant in the dusk sector, implying the important role of the plasmapause or plasmaspheric plume in generating EMIC waves. We have also investigated the distribution characteristics of the hydrogen band and the helium band EMIC waves. Surprisingly, in the inner magnetosphere, the hydrogen band EMIC waves occur more frequently than the helium band EMIC waves. Both them have peaks of occurrence rate in noon, dusk and night sectors, and the hydrogen band EMIC waves have more obvious peaks than the helium band EMIC waves in the night sector, while the helium band EMIC waves are more concentrated than the hydrogen band EMIC waves in the dusk sector. Both them occur significantly in the noon sector, which implies the important role of the solar wind dynamic pressure. Wang, Dedong; Yuan, Zhigang; Yu, Xiongdong; Deng, Xiaohua; Zhou, Meng; Huang, Shiyong; Li, Haimeng; Wang, Zhenzhen; Qiao, Zheng; Kletzing, C.; Wygant, J.; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 05/2015 YEAR: 2015 DOI: 10.1002/2015JA021089 |
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Plasmaspheric hiss is known to play an important role in controlling the overall structure and dynamics of radiation belt electrons inside the plasmasphere. Using newly available Van Allen Probes wave data, which provide excellent coverage in the entire inner magnetosphere, we evaluate the global distribution of the hiss wave frequency spectrum and wave intensity for different levels of substorm activity. Our statistical results show that observed hiss peak frequencies are generally lower than the commonly adopted value (~550 Hz), which was in frequent use, and that the hiss wave power frequently extends below 100 Hz, particularly at larger L shells (> ~3) on the dayside during enhanced levels of substorm activity. We also compare electron pitch angle scattering rates caused by hiss using the new statistical frequency spectrum and the previously adopted Gaussian spectrum and find that the differences are up to a factor of ~5 and are dependent on energy and L shell. Moreover, the new statistical hiss wave frequency spectrum including wave power below 100 Hz leads to increased pitch angle scattering rates by a factor of ~1.5 for electrons above ~100 keV at L~5, although their effect is negligible at L <= 3. Consequently, we suggest that the new realistic hiss wave frequency spectrum should be incorporated into future modeling of radiation belt electron dynamics. Li, W.; Ma, Q.; Thorne, R.; Bortnik, J.; Kletzing, C.; Kurth, W.; Hospodarsky, G.; Nishimura, Y.; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 05/2015 YEAR: 2015 DOI: 10.1002/2015JA021048 hiss diffusion coefficient; hiss frequency spectrum; Plasmaspheric Hiss; Van Allen Probes |