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How Sudden, Intense Energetic Electron Enhancements Correlate With the Innermost Plasmapause Locations Under Various Solar Wind Drivers and Geomagnetic Conditions
Author(s) -
Khoo L.Y.,
Li X.,
Zhao H.,
Chu X.,
Xiang Z.,
Zhang K.
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
journal of geophysical research: space physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2169-9402
pISSN - 2169-9380
DOI - 10.1029/2019ja027412
Subject(s) - plasmasphere , geomagnetic storm , physics , earth's magnetic field , van allen probes , solar wind , electron , coronal mass ejection , magnetosphere , storm , atmospheric sciences , computational physics , van allen radiation belt , geophysics , astrophysics , plasma , meteorology , magnetic field , nuclear physics , quantum mechanics
In this report, the relationship between innermost plasmapause locations (Lpp) and initial electron enhancements during both storm and nonstorm ( Dst > −30 nT) periods are examined using data from the Van Allen Probes. The geomagnetic storms are classified into coronal mass ejection (CME)‐driven and corotating interaction region (CIR)‐driven storms to explore their influences on the initial electron enhancements, respectively. We also study nonstorm time electron enhancements and observe frequent, sudden (within two consecutive orbital passes) <400‐keV electron enhancements during quiet periods. Our analysis reveals an incredibly cohesive observation that holds regardless of electron energies (~30 keV–2.5 MeV) or geomagnetic conditions: the innermost Lpp is the innermost boundary of the initial energetic electron enhancements. Interestingly, the quantified energy‐dependent relationship of the sudden, intense energetic electron enhancements, with respect to the innermost Lpp, also exhibit a very similar trend during both storm and nonstorm periods. In summary, the goal of this report is to provide a comprehensive quantification of this consistent relationship under various geomagnetic conditions, which will also enable better forecast and specification of energetic electrons in the inner magnetosphere.