Bibliography

Realistic electron diffusion rates and lifetimes due to scattering by electron holes

AbstractPlasma sheet electron precipitation into the diffuse aurora is critical for magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling. Recent studies have shown that electron phase space holes can pitch-angle scatter electrons and may produce plasma sheet electron precipitation. These studies have assumed identical electron hole parameters to estimate electron scattering rates (Vasko et al., 2018). In this study, we have re-evaluated the efficiency of this scattering by incorporating realistic electron hole properties from direct spacecraft observations into computing electron diffusion rates and lifetimes. The most important electron hole properties in this evaluation are their distributions in velocity and spatial scale and electric field root-mean-square intensity (). Using direct measurements of electron holes during a plasma injection event observed by the Van Allen Probe at , we find that when 4 mV/m electron lifetimes can drop below one hour and are mostly within strong diffusion limits at energies below 10 keV. During an injection observed by the THEMIS spacecraft at , electron holes with even typical intensities (1 mV/m) can deplete low-energy (a few keV) plasma sheet electrons within tens of minutes following injections and convection from the tail. Our results confirm that electron holes are a significant contributor to plasma sheet electron precipitation during injections.

Shen, Yangyang; Vasko, Ivan; Artemyev, Anton; Malaspina, David; Chu, Xiangning; Angelopoulos, Vassilis; Zhang, Xiao-Jia;

Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics      Published on: 08/2021

YEAR: 2021     DOI: https://doi.org/10.1029/2021JA029380

diffuse aurora; electron pitch-angle scattering; electron phase space hole; Wave-particle interaction; electron lifetimes; broadband electrostatic fluctuations; Van Allen Probes

Outer Radiation Belt Electron Lifetime Model Based on Combined Van Allen Probes and Cluster VLF Measurements

The flux of energetic electrons in the outer radiation belt shows a high variability. The interactions of electrons with very low frequency (VLF) chorus waves play a significant role in controlling the flux variation of these particles. Quantifying the effects of these interactions is crucially important for accurately modeling the global dynamics of the outer radiation belt and to provide a comprehensive description of electron flux variations over a wide energy range (from the source population of 30 keV electrons up to the relativistic core population of the outer radiation belt). Here, we use a synthetic chorus wave model based on a combined database compiled from the Van Allen Probes and Cluster spacecraft VLF measurements to develop a comprehensive parametric model of electron lifetimes as a function of L-shell, electron energy, and geomagnetic activity. The wave model takes into account the wave amplitude dependence on geomagnetic latitude, wave normal angle distribution, and variations of wave frequency with latitude. We provide general analytical formulas to estimate electron lifetimes as a function of L-shell (for L = 3.0 to L = 6.5), electron energy (from 30 keV to 2 MeV), and geomagnetic activity parameterized by the AE index. The present model lifetimes are compared to previous studies and analytical results and also show a good agreement with measured lifetimes of 30 to 300 keV electrons at geosynchronous orbit.

Aryan, Homayon; Agapitov, Oleksiy; Artemyev, Anton; Mourenas, Didier; Balikhin, Michael; Boynton, Richard; Bortnik, Jacob;

Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics      Published on: 07/2020

YEAR: 2020     DOI: https://doi.org/10.1029/2020JA028018

electron lifetimes; Van Allen radiation belts; chorus waves; pitch angle diffusion coefficients; Van Allen Probes; Cluster

Lifetimes of Relativistic Electrons as Determined From Plasmaspheric Hiss Scattering Rates Statistics: Effects of ωpe/Ωce and Wave Frequency Dependence on Geomagnetic Activity

Whistler-mode hiss waves generally determine MeV electron lifetimes inside the plasmasphere. We use Van Allen Probes measurements to provide the first comprehensive statistical survey of plasmaspheric hiss-driven quasi-linear pitch-angle diffusion rates and lifetimes of MeV electrons as a function of L*, local time, and AE index, taking into account hiss power, electron plasma frequency to gyrofrequency ratio ωpe/Ωce, hiss frequency at peak power ωm, and cross correlations of these parameters. We find that during geomagnetically active periods with hiss observations, ωpe/Ωce and ωm decrease, leading to faster electron loss. We demonstrate that spatiotemporal variations of ωm and ωpe/Ωce with AE, together with wave power changes, significantly affect MeV electron loss, potentially leading to short lifetimes of less than 1 day. A parametric model of MeV electron lifetime driven by AE for L > 2.5 up to the plasmapause is developed and validated using Magnetic Electron Ion Spectrometer (MagEIS) electron flux decay database.

Agapitov, O.; Mourenas, D.; Artemyev, A.; Claudepierre, S.; Hospodarsky, G.; Bonnell, J.;

Published by: Geophysical Research Letters      Published on: 05/2020

YEAR: 2020     DOI: https://doi.org/10.1029/2020GL088052

electron lifetimes; plasmasphere; hiss waves; wave-particle interactions; Van Allen Probes

Effects of whistler mode hiss waves in March 2013

We present simulations of the loss of radiation belt electrons by resonant pitch angle diffusion caused by whistler mode hiss waves for March 2013. Pitch angle diffusion coefficients are computed from the wave properties and the ambient plasma data obtained by the Van Allen Probes with a resolution of 8 hours and 0.1 L-shell. Loss rates follow a complex dynamic structure, imposed by the wave and plasma properties. Hiss effects can be strong, with minimum lifetimes (of ~1 day) moving from energies of ~100 keV at L~5 up to ~2 MeV at L~2, and stop abruptly, similarly to the observed energy-dependent inner belt edge. Periods when the plasmasphere extends beyond L~5 favor long-lasting hiss losses from the outer belt. Such loss rates are embedded in a reduced Fokker-Planck code and validated against MagEIS observations of the belts at all energy. Results are complemented with a sensitivity study involving different radial diffusion and lifetime models. Validation is carried out globally at all L-shells and energies. The good agreement between simulations and observations demonstrates that hiss waves drive the slot formation during quiet times. Combined with transport, they sculpt the energy-structure of the outer belt into an "S-shape". Low energy electrons (<0.3 MeV) are less subject to hiss scattering below L=4. In contrast, 0.3-1.5 MeV electrons evolve in a environment that depopulates them as they migrate from L~5 to L~2.5. Ultra-relativistic electrons are not affected by hiss losses until L~2-3.

Ripoll, J.-F.; Santol?k, O.; Reeves, G.; Kurth, W.; Denton, M.; Loridan, V.; Thaller, S.; Kletzing, C.; Turner, D.;

Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics      Published on: 06/2017

YEAR: 2017     DOI: 10.1002/2017JA024139

diffusion coefficients; electron lifetimes; energy-structure; Radiation belts; Van Allen Probes; Whistler-mode hiss

Reproducing the observed energy-dependent structure of Earth s electron radiation belts during storm recovery with an event-specific diffusion model

We present dynamic simulations of energy-dependent losses in the radiation belt " slot region" and the formation of the two-belt structure for the quiet days after the March 1st storm. The simulations combine radial diffusion with a realistic scattering model, based data-driven spatially and temporally-resolved whistler mode hiss wave observations from the Van Allen Probes satellites. The simulations reproduce Van Allen Probes observations for all energies and L-shells (2 to 6) including (a) the strong energy-dependence to the radiation belt dynamics (b) an energy-dependent outer boundary to the inner zone that extends to higher L-shells at lower energies and (c) an " S-shaped" energy-dependent inner boundary to the outer zone that results from the competition between diffusive radial transport and losses. We find that the characteristic energy-dependent structure of the radiation belts and slot region is dynamic and can be formed gradually in ~15 days, although the " S-shape" can also be reproduced by assuming equilibrium conditions. The highest energy electrons (E > 300 keV) of the inner region of the outer belt (L ~ 4-5) also constantly decay, demonstrating that hiss wave scattering affects the outer belt during times of extended plasmasphere. Through these simulations, we explain the full structure in energy and L-shell of the belts and the slot formation by hiss scattering during storm recovery. We show the power and complexity of looking dynamically at the effects over all energies and L-shells and the need for using data-driven and event-specific conditions.

Ripoll, J.; Reeves, G.; Cunningham, G.; Loridan, V.; Denton, M.; ik, O.; Kurth, W.; Kletzing, C.; Turner, D.; Henderson, M.; Ukhorskiy, A;

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

YEAR: 2016     DOI: 10.1002/2016GL068869

electron lifetimes; electron losses; hiss waves; Radiation belts; Slot region; Van Allen Probes; wave particle interactions

Statistical analysis of electron lifetimes at GEO: Comparisons with chorus-driven losses

The population of electrons in the Earth\textquoterights outer radiation belt increases when the magnetosphere is exposed to high-speed streams of solar wind, coronal mass ejections, magnetic clouds, or other disturbances. After this increase, the number of electrons decays back to approximately the initial population. This study statistically analyzes the lifetimes of the electron at Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) from Los Alamos National Laboratory electron flux data. The decay rate of the electron fluxes are calculated for 14 energies ranging from 24 keV to 3.5 MeV to identify a relationship between the lifetime and energy of the electrons. The statistical data show that electron lifetimes increase with energy. Also, the statistical results show a good agreement up to \~1 MeV with an analytical model of lifetimes, where electron losses are caused by their resonant interaction with oblique chorus waves, using average wave intensities obtained from Cluster statistics. However, above 500 keV, the measured lifetimes increase with energy becomes less steep, almost stopping. This could partly stem from the difficultly of identifying lifetimes larger than 10 days, for high energy, with the methods and instruments of the present study at GEO. It could also result from the departure of the actual geomagnetic field from a dipolar shape, since a compressed field on the dayside should preferentially increase chorus-induced losses at high energies. However, during nearly quiet geomagnetic conditions corresponding to lifetime measurement periods, it is more probably an indication that outward radial diffusion imposes some kind of upper limit on lifetimes of high-energy electrons near geostationary orbit.

Boynton, R.; Balikhin, M.; Mourenas, D.;

Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics      Published on: 08/2014

YEAR: 2014     DOI: 10.1002/2014JA019920

Chorus; electron lifetimes; electron losses; oblique waves