On the effect of ULF waves on the outer radiation belt during geomagnetic storms

Author(s):  
Christopher Lara ◽  
Pablo S. Moya ◽  
Victor Pinto ◽  
Javier Silva ◽  
Beatriz Zenteno

<p>The inner magnetosphere is a very important region to study, as with satellite-based communications increasing day after day, possible disruptions are especially relevant due to the possible consequences in our daily life. It is becoming very important to know how the radiation belts behave, especially during strong geomagnetic activity. The radiation belts response to geomagnetic storms and solar wind conditions is still not fully understood, as relativistic electron fluxes in the outer radiation belt can be depleted, enhanced or not affected following intense activity. Different studies show how these results vary in the face of different events. As one of the main mechanisms affecting the dynamics of the radiation belt are wave-particle interactions between relativistic electrons and ULF waves. In this work we perform a statistical study of the relationship between ULF wave power and relativistic electron fluxes in the outer radiation belt during several geomagnetic storms, by using magnetic field and particle fluxes data measured by the Van Allen Probes between 2012 and 2017. We evaluate the correlation between the changes in flux and the cumulative effect of ULF wave activity during the main and recovery phases of the storms for different position in the outer radiation belt and energy channels. Our results show that there is a good correlation between the presence of ULF waves and the changes in flux during the recovery phase of the storm and that correlations vary as a function of energy. Also, we can see in detail how the ULF power change for the electron flux at different L-shell We expect these results to be relevant for the understanding of the relative role of ULF waves in the enhancements and depletions of energetic electrons in the radiation belts for condition described.</p>

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jasmine Sandhu ◽  
Jonathan Rae ◽  
John Wygant ◽  
Aaron Breneman ◽  
Sheng Tian ◽  
...  

<p>Ultra Low Frequency (ULF) waves drive radial diffusion of radiation belt electrons, where this process contributes to and, at times, dominates energisation, loss, and large scale transport of the outer radiation belt. In this study we quantify the changes and variability in ULF wave power during geomagnetic storms, through a statistical analysis of Van Allen Probes data for the time period spanning 2012 – 2019. The results show that global wave power enhancements occur during the main phase, and continue into the recovery phase of storms. Local time asymmetries show sources of ULF wave power are both external solar wind driving as well as internal sources from coupling with ring current ions and substorms.</p><p>The statistical analysis demonstrates that storm time ULF waves are able to access lower L values compared to pre-storm conditions, with enhancements observed within L = 4. We assess how magnetospheric compressions and cold plasma distributions shape how ULF wave power propagates through the magnetosphere. Results show that the Earthward displacement of the magnetopause is a key factor in the low L enhancements. Furthermore, the presence of plasmaspheric plumes during geomagnetic storms plays a crucial role in trapping ULF wave power, and contributes significantly to large storm time enhancements in ULF wave power.</p><p>The results have clear implications for enhanced radial diffusion of the outer radiation belt during geomagnetic storms. Estimates of storm time radial diffusion coefficients are derived from the ULF wave power observations, and compared to existing empirical models of radial diffusion coefficients. We show that current Kp-parameterised models, such as the Ozeke et al. [2014] model, do not fully capture the large variability in storm time radial diffusion coefficients or the extent of enhancements in the magnetic field diffusion coefficients.</p>


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sigiava Aminalragia-Giamini ◽  
Christos Katsavrias ◽  
Constantinos Papadimitriou ◽  
Ioannis A. Daglis ◽  
Ingmar Sandberg ◽  
...  

<p>The nature of the semi-annual variation in the relativistic electron fluxes in the Earth’s outer radiation belt is investigated using Van Allen Probes (MagEIS and REPT) and GOES (EPS) data during solar cycle 24. We perform wavelet and cross-wavelet analysis in a broad energy and spatial range of electron fluxes and examine their phase relationship with the axial, equinoctial and Russell-McPherron mechanisms. It is found that the semi-annual variation in the relativistic electron fluxes exhibits pronounced power in the 0.3 – 4.2 MeV energy range at L-shells higher than 3.5 and, moreover, it exhibits an in-phase relationship with the Russell-McPherron effect indicating the former is primarily driven by the latter. Furthermore, the analysis of the past 3 solar cycles with GOES/EPS indicates that the semi-annual variation at geosynchronous orbit is evident during the descending phases and coincides with periods of a higher (lower) HSS (ICME) occurrence.</p><p>This work has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme “SafeSpace” under grant agreement No 870437 and from the European Space Agency under the “European Contribution to International Radiation Environment Near Earth (IRENE) Modelling System” activity under ESA Contract No 4000127282/19/NL/IB/gg.</p>


2021 ◽  
Vol 85 (3) ◽  
pp. 309-313
Author(s):  
N. V. Sotnikov ◽  
E. E. Antonova ◽  
I. L. Ovchinnikov ◽  
V. G. Vorobjev ◽  
O. I. Yagodkina ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel Walton ◽  
Colin Forsyth ◽  
Iain Jonathan Rae ◽  
Clare Watt ◽  
Richard Horne ◽  
...  

<p>The electron population inside Earth’s outer radiation belt is highly variable and typically linked to geomagnetic activity such as storms and substorms. These variations can differ with radial distance, such that the fluxes at the outer boundary are different from those in the heart of the belt. Using data from the Proton Electron Telescope (PET) on board NASA’s Solar Anomalous Magnetospheric Particle Explorer (SAMPEX), we have examined the correlation between electron fluxes at all L's within the radiation belts for a range of geomagnetic conditions, as well as longer-term averages. Our analysis shows that fluxes at L≈2-4 and L≈4-10 are well correlated within these regions, with coefficients in excess of 80%, however, the correlation between these two regions is low. These correlations vary between storm-times and quiet-times. We examine whether, and to what extent this correlation is related to the level of enhancement of the outer radiation belt during geomagnetic storms, and whether the plasmapause plays any role defining the different regions of correlated flux.</p>


2015 ◽  
Vol 33 (11) ◽  
pp. 1431-1442 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Georgiou ◽  
I. A. Daglis ◽  
E. Zesta ◽  
G. Balasis ◽  
I. R. Mann ◽  
...  

Abstract. Geospace magnetic storms, driven by the solar wind, are associated with increases or decreases in the fluxes of relativistic electrons in the outer radiation belt. We examine the response of relativistic electrons to four intense magnetic storms, during which the minimum of the Dst index ranged from −105 to −387 nT, and compare these with concurrent observations of ultra-low-frequency (ULF) waves from the trans-Scandinavian IMAGE magnetometer network and stations from multiple magnetometer arrays available through the worldwide SuperMAG collaboration. The latitudinal and global distribution of Pc5 wave power is examined to determine how deep into the magnetosphere these waves penetrate. We then investigate the role of Pc5 wave activity deep in the magnetosphere in enhancements of radiation belt electrons population observed in the recovery phase of the magnetic storms. We show that, during magnetic storms characterized by increased post-storm electron fluxes as compared to their pre-storm values, the earthward shift of peak and inner boundary of the outer electron radiation belt follows the Pc5 wave activity, reaching L shells as low as 3–4. In contrast, the one magnetic storm characterized by irreversible loss of electrons was related to limited Pc5 wave activity that was not intensified at low L shells. These observations demonstrate that enhanced Pc5 ULF wave activity penetrating deep into the magnetosphere during the main and recovery phase of magnetic storms can, for the cases examined, distinguish storms that resulted in increases in relativistic electron fluxes in the outer radiation belts from those that did not.


2017 ◽  
Vol 122 (11) ◽  
pp. 11,100-11,108 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pablo S. Moya ◽  
Víctor A. Pinto ◽  
David G. Sibeck ◽  
Shrikanth G. Kanekal ◽  
Daniel N. Baker

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tulsi Thapa ◽  
Binod Adhikari ◽  
Prashrit Baruwal ◽  
Kiran Pudasainee

Abstract. We analyzed the relativistic electron fluxes (E > 2 MeV) during three different geomagnetic storms: moderate, intense, and super-intense and one geo-magnetically quiet period. We have opted Continuous wavelet analysis and cross-correlation technique to extend current understanding and of the radiation-belt dynamics. We found that the fluctuation of relativistic electron fluxes dependent basically on prolonged southward interplanetary magnetic field IMF-Bz. Cross-correlation analysis depicted that SYM-H does not show a strong connection either with relativistic electron enhancement events or persistent depletion events. Our result supports the fact that geomagnetic storms are not a primary factor that pumps up the radiation belt. In fact they seem event specific; either depletion or enhancement or slight effect on the outer radiation belt might be observed depending on the event. Solar wind pressure and velocity were found to be highly and positively correlated with relativistic electron. We found that, the count of relativistic electron flux (> 2 MeV) decreases during the main phase of geomagnetic storm with the increase in – from quiet to super intense storm – geomagnetic storm conditions (Table 1). However, Psw was found to be weakly correlated in case of intense storms following an abrupt increase of electron flux for ~ 4 hrs, which is interesting and unique.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Afroditi Nasi ◽  
Ioannis A. Daglis ◽  
Christos Katsavrias ◽  
Wen Li

<p>Local acceleration driven by whistler-mode chorus waves is fundamentally important for the acceleration of seed electrons in the outer radiation belt to relativistic energies. Τhis mechanism strongly depends on substorm activity and on the source electron population injected by the substorms into the inner magnetosphere. In our work we use Van Allen Probes data to investigate the features of source electrons, seed electrons and chorus waves for events of enhancement versus events of depletion of relativistic electrons in the outer Van Allen belt. To that end we calculate the electron phase space density (PSD) for five values of the first adiabatic invariant corresponding to source and seed electrons, and we perform a superposed epoch analysis of 28 geomagnetic disturbance events, out of which, 20 result in enhancement and 8 in depletion of relativistic electron PSD. Our results indicate that events resulting in significant enhancement of relativistic electron PSD in the outer radiation belt are characterized by statistically stronger and more prolonged storm and substorm activity, leading to more efficient injections of source but mostly seed electrons to the inner magnetosphere, and also to more pronounced and long-lasting chorus and Pc5 wave activity. The effect of these parameters in the acceleration of electrons seems to be determined by the abundance of seed electrons at the region of L*=4-5.</p>


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