Modeling inward diffusion and slow decay of energetic electrons in the Earth's outer radiation belt

Q Ma; C. A Kletzing; W Li; W. S Kurth; R. M Thorne; G. B Hospodarsky; B Ni; G. D Reeves; M. G Henderson; H. E Spence; D. N Baker; J. B Blake; J. F Fennell; S. G Claudepierre; V Angelopoulos

doi:10.1002/2014GL062977

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Modeling inward diffusion and slow decay of energetic electrons in the Earth's outer radiation belt

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Modeling inward diffusion and slow decay of energetic electrons in the Earth's outer radiation belt

Q Ma, C. A Kletzing, W Li, W. S Kurth, R. M Thorne, G. B Hospodarsky, B Ni, G. D Reeves, M. G Henderson, H. E Spence, …

Geophysical research letters, Vol.42(4), pp.987-995

02/28/2015

DOI: 10.1002/2014GL062977

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Abstract

A new 3‐D diffusion code is used to investigate the inward intrusion and slow decay of energetic radiation belt electrons (>0.5 MeV) observed by the Van Allen Probes during a 10 day quiet period on March 2013. During the inward transport, the peak differential electron fluxes decreased by approximately an order of magnitude at various energies. Our 3‐D radiation belt simulation including radial diffusion and pitch angle and energy diffusion by plasmaspheric hiss and electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves reproduces the essential features of the observed electron flux evolution. The decay time scales and the pitch angle distributions in our simulation are consistent with the Van Allen Probe observations over multiple energy channels. Our study suggests that the quiet time energetic electron dynamics are effectively controlled by inward radial diffusion and pitch angle scattering due to a combination of plasmaspheric hiss and EMIC waves in the Earth's radiation belts. Key Points We simulated the observed gradual diffusion processes of energetic electrons Radial diffusion processes caused the observed intrusion of energetic electrons Hiss and EMIC waves caused the observed energetic electron decay in 10 days

pitch angle scattering

radiation belt modeling

Van Allen Probe observations

Details

Title: Subtitle: Modeling inward diffusion and slow decay of energetic electrons in the Earth's outer radiation belt
Creators: Q Ma - University of California, Los Angeles
C. A Kletzing - University of Iowa
W Li - University of California, Los Angeles
W. S Kurth - University of Iowa
R. M Thorne - University of California, Los Angeles
G. B Hospodarsky - University of Iowa
B Ni - Wuhan University
G. D Reeves - Los Alamos National Laboratory
M. G Henderson - Los Alamos National Laboratory
H. E Spence - University of New Hampshire
D. N Baker - University of Colorado Boulder
J. B Blake - The Aerospace Corporation
J. F Fennell - The Aerospace Corporation
S. G Claudepierre - The Aerospace Corporation
V Angelopoulos - University of California, Los Angeles
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Geophysical research letters, Vol.42(4), pp.987-995
DOI: 10.1002/2014GL062977
ISSN: 0094-8276
eISSN: 1944-8007
Number of pages: 9
Grant note: Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (2042014kf0251) NASA (NNX11AR64G) NSFC (41204120; 41474141) NSF (AGS 1405041; 1405054)
Language: English
Date published: 02/28/2015
Academic Unit: Physics and Astronomy
Record Identifier: 9984200029502771

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