Radiation belt electron acceleration during periods of low plasma density

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hayley Allison ◽  
Yuri Shprits ◽  
Irina Zhelavskaya ◽  
Dedong Wang ◽  
Artem Smirnov
Keyword(s):  
Plasma Density ◽  
Cold Plasma ◽  
Radiation Belt ◽  
Electron Acceleration ◽  
Number Density ◽  
Chorus Waves ◽  
Radiation Belt Electrons ◽  
Plasma Depletion

<p>Electrons in the Van Allen radiation belts can have energies in excess of 7 MeV. We present a unique way of analyzing phase space density data which demonstrates that local acceleration is capable of heating electrons up to 7 MeV. The Van Allen Probes mission not only provided unique measurements of ultra-relativistic radiation belt electrons, but also simultaneous observations of plasma waves that allowed for the routine inference of total plasma number density. Based on long-term observations, we show that the underlying plasma density has a controlling effect over local acceleration to ultra-relativistic energies, which occurs only when the plasma number density drops down to very low values (~10 cm<sup>-3</sup>). The VERB-2D model is used to simulate ultra-relativistic electron acceleration during an event which exhibits an extreme cold plasma depletion. The results show that a reduced electron plasma density allows chorus waves to efficiently resonate with electrons up to ultra-relativistic energies, producing enhancements from 100s of keV up to >7 MeV via local diffusive acceleration. We analyse statistically the observed chorus wave power during ultra-relativistic enhancement events, considering the contribution from both upper and lower band chorus waves. The PINE density model allows for the investigation of global magnetospheric density changes. We analyze the how the global cold plasma density changes during ultra-relativistic enhancement events and compare to in-situ point measurements of the plasma density.</p>

scholarly journals Gyroresonant wave-particle interactions with chorus waves during extreme depletions of plasma density in the Van Allen radiation belts

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (5) ◽  
pp. eabc0380
Author(s):  
Hayley J. Allison ◽  
Yuri Y. Shprits ◽  
Irina S. Zhelavskaya ◽  
Dedong Wang ◽  
Artem G. Smirnov
Keyword(s):  
Plasma Density ◽  
Particle Interactions ◽  
Number Density ◽  
Chorus Waves ◽  
Energetic Radiation ◽  
Radiation Belt Electrons ◽  
Diffusive Acceleration ◽  
Extreme Cold ◽  
Plasma Depletion

The Van Allen Probes mission provides unique measurements of the most energetic radiation belt electrons at ultrarelativistic energies. Simultaneous observations of plasma waves allow for the routine inference of total plasma number density, a parameter that is very difficult to measure directly. On the basis of long-term observations in 2015, we show that the underlying plasma density has a controlling effect over acceleration to ultrarelativistic energies, which occurs only when the plasma number density drops down to very low values (~10 cm–3). Such low density creates preferential conditions for local diffusive acceleration of electrons from hundreds of kilo–electron volts up to >7 MeV. While previous models could not reproduce the local acceleration of electrons to such high energies, here we complement the observations with a numerical model to show that the conditions of extreme cold plasma depletion result in acceleration up to >7 MeV.

Global Morphology of Lower-band Chorus Wave Intensity Reconstructed Using multi-year POES Electron Measurements

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yang Zhang ◽  
Binbin Ni ◽  
Xudong Gu ◽  
Yuri Shprits ◽  
Song Fu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Radiation Belt ◽  
Wave Intensity ◽  
Global Distribution ◽  
Loss Cone ◽  
Wave Measurements ◽  
Lower Band ◽  
Chorus Waves ◽  
Radiation Belt Electrons ◽  
Chorus Wave

<p><span>Magnetospheric chorus is known to play a significant role in the acceleration and loss of radiation belt electrons. Interactions of chorus waves with radiation belt particles are commonly evaluated using quasi-linear diffusion codes that rely on statistical models, which might not accurately provide the instantaneous global wave distribution from limited in-situ wave measurements. Thus, a novel technique capable of inferring wave amplitudes from POES particle measurements, with an extensive coverage of L-shell and magnetic local time, has been established to obtain event-specific, global dynamic evolutions of chorus waves. This study, using 5 years of POES electron data, further improves the technique, and enables us to subsequently infer the chorus wave amplitudes for all useful data points (removing the electrons which were in the drift loss cone) and to construct the global distribution of lower-band chorus wave intensity. The results obtained from the improved technique reproduce Van Allen Probes in-situ observations of chorus waves reasonably well and reconstruct the major features of the global distribution of chorus waves. We demonstrate that such a data-based, dynamic model can provide near-real-time estimates of chorus wave intensity on a global scale for any time period when POES data are available, which cannot be obtained from in-situ wave measurements by equatorial satellites alone, but is crucial for quantifying the  dynamics of the radiation belt electrons.</span></p>

Simulations of the Relativistic Radiation Belt Electrons Using the VERB-3D Code

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dedong Wang ◽  
Yuri Shprits ◽  
Alexander Drozdov ◽  
Nikita Aseev ◽  
Irina Zhelavskaya ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Space Weather ◽  
Radiation Belt ◽  
Model Performance ◽  
Dynamic Evolution ◽  
Relativistic Electrons ◽  
Outer Radiation Belt ◽  
Chorus Waves ◽  
Van Allen Probes ◽  
Radiation Belt Electrons ◽  
Simulation Results

<p>Using the three-dimensional Versatile Electron Radiation Belt (VERB-3D) code, we perform simulations to investigate the dynamic evolution of relativistic electrons in the Earth’s outer radiation belt. In our simulations, we use data from the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES) to set up the outer boundary condition, which is the only data input for simulations. The magnetopause shadowing effect is included by using last closed drift shell (LCDS), and it is shown to significantly contribute to the dropouts of relativistic electrons at high $L^*$. We validate our simulation results against measurements from Van Allen Probes. In long-term simulations, we test how the latitudinal dependence of chorus waves can affect the dynamics of the radiation belt electrons. Results show that the variability of chorus waves at high latitudes is critical for modeling of megaelectron volt (MeV) electrons. We show that, depending on the latitudinal distribution of chorus waves under different geomagnetic conditions, they cannot only produce a net acceleration but also a net loss of MeV electrons. Decrease in high‐latitude chorus waves can tip the balance between acceleration and loss toward acceleration, or alternatively, the increase in high‐latitude waves can result in a net loss of MeV electrons. Variations in high‐latitude chorus may account for some of the variability of MeV electrons. </p><p>Our simulation results for the NSF GEM Challenge Events show that the position of the plasmapause plays a significant role in the dynamic evolution of relativistic electrons. We also perform simulations for the COSPAR International Space Weather Action Team (ISWAT) Challenge for the year 2017. The COSPAR ISWAT is a global hub for collaborations addressing challenges across the field of space weather. One of the objectives of the G3-04 team “Internal Charging Effects and the Relevant Space Environment” is model performance assessment and improvement. One of the expected outputs is a more systematic assessment of model performance under different conditions. The G3-04 team proposed performing benchmarking challenge runs. We ‘fly’ a virtual satellite through our simulation results and compare the simulated differential electron fluxes at 0.9 MeV and 57.27 degrees local pitch-angle with the fluxes measured by the Van Allen Probes. In general, our simulation results show good agreement with observations. We calculated several different matrices to validate our simulation results against satellite observations.</p>

Controlling Effect of Wave Models and Plasma Boundaries on the Dynamic Evolution of Relativistic Radiation Belt Electrons

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dedong Wang ◽  
Yuri Shprits ◽  
Irina Zhelavskaya ◽  
Alexander Drozdov ◽  
Nikita Aseev ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Radiation Belt ◽  
Dynamic Evolution ◽  
Relativistic Electrons ◽  
Electron Radiation ◽  
Energy Diffusion ◽  
Chorus Waves ◽  
Latitudinal Dependence ◽  
Shadowing Effect ◽  
Radiation Belt Electrons ◽  
Wave Models

<p>Modeling and observations have shown that energy diffusion by chorus waves is an important source of acceleration of electrons to relativistic energies. By performing long‐term simulations using the three‐dimensional Versatile Electron Radiation Belt (VERB-3D) code, we test how the latitudinal dependence of chorus waves can affect the dynamics of the radiation belt electrons. Results show that the variability of chorus waves at high latitudes is critical for modeling of megaelectron volt (MeV) electrons. We show that, depending on the latitudinal distribution of chorus waves under different geomagnetic conditions, they cannot only produce a net acceleration but also a net loss of MeV electrons. Decrease in high‐latitude chorus waves can tip the balance between acceleration and loss toward acceleration, or alternatively, the increase in high‐latitude waves can result in a net loss of MeV electrons. Variations in high‐latitude chorus may account for some of the variability of MeV electrons.</p><p>Our simulation results also show that the position of the plasmapause plays a significant role in the dynamic evolution of relativistic electrons. The magnetopause shadowing effect is included by using last closed drift shell (LCDS), and it is shown to significantly contribute to the dropouts of relativistic electrons at high L*.</p>

scholarly journals Seasonal dependence of the Earth's radiation belt – new insights

2021 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 181-187
Author(s):  
Rajkumar Hajra
Keyword(s):  
Radiation Belt ◽  
Space Environment ◽  
Flux Variation ◽  
Annual Peak ◽  
Radiation Belt Electrons ◽  
Potential Impact ◽  
Two Peaks ◽  
First Time ◽  
Earth’S Radiation Belt

Abstract. Long-term variations in the relativistic (∼MeV) electrons in the Earth's radiation belt are explored to study seasonal features of the electrons. An L-shell dependence of the seasonal variations in the electrons is reported for the first time. A clear ∼6 month periodicity, representing one/two peaks per year, is identified for 1.5–6.0 MeV electron fluxes in the L shells between ∼3.0 and ∼5.0. The relativistic electron flux variation is strongest during solar cycle descending to minimum phases, with weaker/no variations during solar maximum. If two peaks per year occur, they are largely asymmetric in amplitude. The peaks essentially do not have an equinoctial dependence. Sometimes the peaks are shifted to solstices, and sometimes only one annual peak is observed. No such seasonal features are prominent for L<3.0 and L>5.0. The results imply varying solar/interplanetary drivers of the radiation belt electrons at different L shells. This has a potential impact on the modeling of the space environment. Plausible solar drivers are discussed.

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