On the role of last closed drift shell dynamics in driving fast losses and Van Allen radiation belt extinction

Olifer, Leonid; Mann, Ian R.; Morley, Steven Karl; Ozeke, Louis G.; Choi, D.

doi:10.1029/2018JA025190

Title: On the role of last closed drift shell dynamics in driving fast losses and Van Allen radiation belt extinction

Journal Article · Fri Apr 20 00:00:00 EDT 2018 · Journal of Geophysical Research. Space Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/2018JA025190· OSTI ID:1438365

Olifer, Leonid ^[1]; Mann, Ian R. ^[1];

^[2]; Ozeke, Louis G. ^[1]; Choi, D. ^[1]

Univ. of Alberta, Edmonton, AB (Canada). Dept. of Physics
Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

We present observations of very fast radiation belt loss as resolved using high time resolution electron flux data from the constellation of Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites. The time scale of these losses is revealed to be as short as ~0.5–2 hr during intense magnetic storms, with some storms demonstrating almost total loss on these time scales and which we characterize as radiation belt extinction. The intense March 2013 and March 2015 storms both show such fast extinction, with a rapid recovery, while the September 2014 storm shows fast extinction but no recovery for around 2 weeks. By contrast, the moderate September 2012 storm which generated a three radiation belt morphology shows more gradual loss. Here, we compute the last closed drift shell (LCDS) for each of these four storms and show a very strong correspondence between the LCDS and the loss patterns of trapped electrons in each storm. Most significantly, the location of the LCDS closely mirrors the high time resolution losses observed in GPS flux. The fast losses occur on a time scale shorter than the Van Allen Probes orbital period, are explained by proximity to the LCDS, and progress inward, consistent with outward transport to the LCDS by fast ultralow frequency wave radial diffusion. Expressing the location of the LCDS in L*, and not model magnetopause standoff distance in units of RE, clearly reveals magnetopause shadowing as the cause of the fast loss observed by the GPS satellites.

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Research Organization:: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program

Grant/Contract Number:: AC52-06NA25396

OSTI ID:: 1438365

Report Number(s):: LA-UR-18-20202; TRN: US1900424

Journal Information:: Journal of Geophysical Research. Space Physics, Vol. 123, Issue 5; ISSN 2169-9380

Publisher:: American Geophysical UnionCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Cited by: 38 works

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