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    Observations and simulations of dropout events and flux decays in October 2013: Comparing MEO equatorial with LEO polar orbit

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    Authors
    Pierrard, V.
    Ripoll, J.-F.
    Cunningham, G.
    Botek, E.
    Santolik, O.
    Thaller, S.
    Kurth, W.S.
    Cosmides, M.
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    Discipline
    Physical sciences
    Subject
    energetic particles
    geomagnetic storms
    radiation belts
    relativistic electrons
    Audience
    Scientific
    Date
    2021
    Metadata
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    Description
    We compare ESA PROBA-V observations of electron flux at LEO with those from the NASA Van Allen Probes mostly at MEO for October 2013. Dropouts are visible at all energy during four storms from both satellites. Equatorially trapped electron fluxes are higher than at LEO by 102 (<1 MeV) to 105 (>2.5 MeV). We observe a quite isotropic structure of the outer belt during quiet times, contrary to the inner belt, and pitch angle dependence of high energy injection. We find a very good overlap of the outer belt at MEO and LEO at ∼0.5 MeV. We use test-particle simulations of the energetic electrons trapped in the terrestrial magnetic field to study the outer radiation belt electron flux changes during geomagnetic storms. We show that the Dst (Disturbance storm time) effect during the main phase of a geomagnetic storm results in a betatron mechanism causing outward radial drift and a deceleration of the electrons. This outward drift motion is energy independent, pitch angle-dependent, and represents a significant distance (∼1 L-shell at L = 5 for moderate storms). At fixed L-shell, this causes a decay of the LEO precipitating flux (adiabatic outward motion), followed by a return to the normal state (adiabatic inward motion) during main and recovery phases. Dst effect, associated with magnetopause shadowing and radial diffusion can explain the main characteristics of outer radiation belt electron dropouts in October 2013. We also use Fokker-Planck simulations with event-driven diffusion coefficients at high temporal resolution, to distinguish instantaneous loss from the gradual scattering that depopulates the slot region and the outer belt after storms. Simulations reproduce the slot formation and the gradual loss in the outer belt. The typical energy dependence of these losses leads to the absence of scattering for relativistic and ultra-relativistic electrons in the outer belt, oppositely to dropouts.
    Citation
    Pierrard, V.; Ripoll, J.-F.; Cunningham, G.; Botek, E.; Santolik, O.; Thaller, S.; Kurth, W.S.; Cosmides, M. (2021). Observations and simulations of dropout events and flux decays in October 2013: Comparing MEO equatorial with LEO polar orbit. , Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, Vol. 126, Issue 6, e2020JA028850, DOI: 10.1029/2020JA028850.
    Identifiers
    uri: https://orfeo.belnet.be/handle/internal/7942
    doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2020JA028850
    Type
    Article
    Peer-Review
    Yes
    Language
    eng
    Links
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