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

0462937 - ÚFA 2017 RIV US eng J - Článek v odborném periodiku
Ripoll, J.-F. - Reeves, G. D. - Cunningham, G. S. - Loridan, V. - Denton, M. - Santolík, Ondřej - Kurth, W. S. - Kletzing, C. A. - Turner, D. L. - Henderson, M. G. - Ukhorskiy, A. Y.
Reproducing the observed energy-dependent structure of Earth's electron radiation belts during storm recovery with an event-specific diffusion model.
Geophysical Research Letters. Roč. 43, č. 11 (2016), s. 5616-5625. ISSN 0094-8276. E-ISSN 1944-8007
Grant CEP: GA MŠMT(CZ) LH15304
Institucionální podpora: RVO:68378289
Klíčová slova: radiation belts * slot region * electron losses * wave particle interactions * hiss waves * electron lifetimes
Kód oboru RIV: BL - Fyzika plazmatu a výboje v plynech
Impakt faktor: 4.253, rok: 2016
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/2016GL068869/full

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 1 March 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 (2-6) 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 similar to 15days, although the S shape can also be reproduced by assuming equilibrium conditions. The highest-energy electrons (E>300keV) of the inner region of the outer belt (L similar to 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.
Trvalý link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0262371