Multipoint Observations of Energetic Particle Injections and Substorm Activity During a Conjunction Between Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) and Van Allen Probes

D. L Turner; J. F Fennell; J. B Blake; S. G Claudepierre; J. H Clemmons; A. N Jaynes; T Leonard; D. N Baker; I. J Cohen; M Gkioulidou; A. Y Ukhorskiy; B. H Mauk; C Gabrielse; V Angelopoulos; R. J Strangeway; C. A Kletzing; O Le Contel; H. E Spence; R. B Torbert; J. L Burch; G. D Reeves

doi:10.1002/2017JA024554

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Multipoint Observations of Energetic Particle Injections and Substorm Activity During a Conjunction Between Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) and Van Allen Probes

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Multipoint Observations of Energetic Particle Injections and Substorm Activity During a Conjunction Between Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) and Van Allen Probes

D. L Turner, J. F Fennell, J. B Blake, S. G Claudepierre, J. H Clemmons, A. N Jaynes, T Leonard, D. N Baker, I. J Cohen, M Gkioulidou, …

Journal of geophysical research. Space physics, Vol.122(11), pp.11,481-11,504

11/2017

DOI: 10.1002/2017JA024554

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Abstract

This study examines multipoint observations during a conjunction between Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) and Van Allen Probes on 7 April 2016 in which a series of energetic particle injections occurred. With complementary data from Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms, Geotail, and Los Alamos National Laboratory spacecraft in geosynchronous orbit (16 spacecraft in total), we develop new insights on the nature of energetic particle injections associated with substorm activity. Despite this case involving only weak substorm activity (maximum AE <300 nT) during quiet geomagnetic conditions in steady, below‐average solar wind, a complex series of at least six different electron injections was observed throughout the system. Intriguingly, only one corresponding ion injection was clearly observed. All ion and electron injections were observed at <600 keV only. MMS reveals detailed substructure within the largest electron injection. A relationship between injected electrons with energy <60 keV and enhanced whistler mode chorus wave activity is also established from Van Allen Probes and MMS. Drift mapping using a simplified magnetic field model provides estimates of the dispersionless injection boundary locations as a function of universal time, magnetic local time, and L shell. The analysis reveals that at least five electron injections, which were localized in magnetic local time, preceded a larger injection of both electrons and ions across nearly the entire nightside of the magnetosphere near geosynchronous orbit. The larger ion and electron injection did not penetrate to L < 6.6, but several of the smaller electron injections penetrated to L < 6.6. Due to the discrepancy between the number, penetration depth, and complexity of electron versus ion injections, this event presents challenges to the current conceptual models of energetic particle injections. Key Points Weak substorm activity during quiet geomagnetic conditions reveals the complex nature of energetic particle injections Fifteen spacecraft observe a series of electron injections but only one clear ion injection, injection boundaries estimated at different L There are two distinct injection types: localized in L and MLT with only electrons observed and broad range of L and MLT with ions and electrons

chorus waves

energetic particle injections

inner magnetosphere

plasma sheet

radiation belts

substorms

Details

Title: Subtitle: Multipoint Observations of Energetic Particle Injections and Substorm Activity During a Conjunction Between Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) and Van Allen Probes
Creators: D. L Turner - The Aerospace Corporation
J. F Fennell - The Aerospace Corporation
J. B Blake - The Aerospace Corporation
S. G Claudepierre - The Aerospace Corporation
J. H Clemmons - The Aerospace Corporation
A. N Jaynes - University of Colorado Boulder
T Leonard - University of Colorado Boulder
D. N Baker - University of Colorado Boulder
I. J Cohen - Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
M Gkioulidou - Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
A. Y Ukhorskiy - Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
B. H Mauk - Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
C Gabrielse - University of California, Los Angeles
V Angelopoulos - University of California, Los Angeles
R. J Strangeway - University of California, Los Angeles
C. A Kletzing - University of Iowa
O Le Contel - Université Paris-Sud
H. E Spence - University of New Hampshire
R. B Torbert - University of New Hampshire
J. L Burch - Southwest Research Institute
G. D Reeves - Los Alamos National Laboratory
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Journal of geophysical research. Space physics, Vol.122(11), pp.11,481-11,504
DOI: 10.1002/2017JA024554
ISSN: 2169-9380
eISSN: 2169-9402
Number of pages: 24
Grant note: International Space Science Institute's (ISSI) International Teams program NASA (NNG04EB99C) Van Allen Probes (NAS5‐01072)
Language: English
Date published: 11/2017
Academic Unit: Physics and Astronomy; University College Courses
Record Identifier: 9984199823302771

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