Observations and statistics of the plasmasphere boundaries from the Van Allen Probes

J.-F. Ripoll; S. A. Thaller; D. P. Hartley; G. S. Cunningham; V. Pierrard; W. S. Kurth; C. A. Kletzing; J. R. Wygant

doi:10.23919/URSIGASS57860.2023.10265488

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Observations and statistics of the plasmasphere boundaries from the Van Allen Probes

J.-F. Ripoll, S. A. Thaller, D. P. Hartley, G. S. Cunningham, V. Pierrard, W. S. Kurth, C. A. Kletzing and J. R. Wygant

2023 XXXVth General Assembly and Scientific Symposium of the International Union of Radio Science (URSI GASS), pp.1-4

08/19/2023

DOI: 10.23919/URSIGASS57860.2023.10265488

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Abstract

We deduce the cold electron plasma density from NASA Van Allen Probes measurements throughout 2012-2019. We then extract two of the plasmasphere boundaries. We first use the gradient method for locating the plasmapause at L pp and, then, the 100\mathrm{~cm}^{-3} density threshold for the plasmasphere outer edge located at L 100 . The sharp gradient of the plasmapause is only defined in 53% of cases, while L 100 is defined for \sim 85\% of cases. Differences and similarities between L pp and L 100 are discussed. L 100 is demonstrated to bound the plasmasphere at large L-shell in the dusk where L pp gradients often lack. We generate new empirical density models of the plasmasphere boundaries binned by L-shell, magnetic local time (MLT), and the maximum of the Kp index over 24 hours (Kp*).

Gradient methods

Indexes

Labeling

NASA

Plasma measurements

Space vehicles

Uncertainty

Details

Title: Subtitle: Observations and statistics of the plasmasphere boundaries from the Van Allen Probes
Creators: J.-F. Ripoll - CEA DAM Île-de-France
S. A. Thaller - Orion Space Solutions,Louisville,CO,USA
D. P. Hartley - University of Iowa
G. S. Cunningham - Los Alamos National Laboratory
V. Pierrard - Royal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy
W. S. Kurth - University of Iowa
C. A. Kletzing - University of Iowa
J. R. Wygant - University of Minnesota
Resource Type: Conference proceeding
Publication Details: 2023 XXXVth General Assembly and Scientific Symposium of the International Union of Radio Science (URSI GASS), pp.1-4
Publisher: International Union of Radio Science
DOI: 10.23919/URSIGASS57860.2023.10265488
eISSN: 2642-4339
Grant note: National Science Foundation (10.13039/100000001) National Nuclear Security Administration (10.13039/100006168)
Language: English
Date published: 08/19/2023
Academic Unit: Physics and Astronomy
Record Identifier: 9984474260302771

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