Journal article
The Role of Solar Wind Structures in the Generation of ULF Waves in the Inner Magnetosphere
Solar physics, Vol.292(7), 92
06/29/2017
DOI: 10.1007/s11207-017-1113-4
Abstract
The plasma of the solar wind incident upon the Earth’s magnetosphere can produce several types of geoeffective events. Among them, an important phenomenon consists of the interrelation of the magnetospheric–ionospheric current systems and the charged-particle population of the Earth’s Van Allen radiation belts. Ultra-low-frequency (ULF) waves resonantly interacting with such particles have been claimed to play a major role in the energetic particle flux changes, particularly at the outer radiation belt, which is mainly composed of electrons at relativistic energies. In this article, we use global magnetohydrodynamic simulations along with
in situ
and ground-based observations to evaluate the ability of two different solar wind transient (SWT) events to generate ULF (few to tens of mHz) waves in the equatorial region of the inner magnetosphere. Magnetic field and plasma data from the
Advanced Composition Explorer
(ACE) satellite were used to characterize these two SWT events as being a sector boundary crossing (SBC) on 24 September 2013, and an interplanetary coronal mass ejection (ICME) in conjunction with a shock on 2 October 2013. Associated with these events, the twin
Van Allen Probes
measured a depletion of the outer belt relativistic electron flux concurrent with magnetic and electric field power spectra consistent with ULF waves. Two ground-based observatories apart in 90
∘
longitude also showed evidence of ULF-wave activity for the two SWT events. Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulation results show that the ULF-like oscillations in the modeled electric and magnetic fields observed during both events are a result from the SWT coupling to the magnetosphere. The analysis of the MHD simulation results together with the observations leads to the conclusion that the two SWT structures analyzed in this article can be geoeffective on different levels, with each one leading to distinct ring current intensities, but both SWTs are related to the same disturbance in the outer radiation belt,
i.e.
a dropout in the relativistic electron fluxes. Therefore, minor disturbances in the solar wind parameters, such as those related to an SBC, may initiate physical processes that are able to be geoeffective for the outer radiation belt.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- The Role of Solar Wind Structures in the Generation of ULF Waves in the Inner Magnetosphere
- Creators
- C Medeiros - National Institute for Space ResearchC. R Braga - National Institute for Space ResearchM. V Alves - National Institute for Space Research – INPED Koga - National Institute for Space ResearchJ. P Marchezi - National Institute for Space ResearchR. R. S de Mendonça - National Institute for Space ResearchR. S Dallaqua - National Institute for Space ResearchM. V. G Barbosa - National Institute for Space ResearchM Rockenbach - National Institute for Space ResearchA Dal Lago - National Institute for Space Research – INPEO Mendes - National Institute for Space ResearchL. E. A Vieira - National Institute for Space ResearchM Banik - National Institute for Space ResearchD. G Sibeck - Goddard Space Flight CenterS. G Kanekal - Goddard Space Flight CenterD. N Baker - University of Colorado BoulderL. R Alves - National Institute for Space ResearchJ. R Wygant - University of MinnesotaV. M Souza - National Institute for Space ResearchP. R Jauer - National Institute for Space ResearchC. A Kletzing - University of IowaL. A da Silva - National Institute for Space Research
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Solar physics, Vol.292(7), 92
- Publisher
- Springer Netherlands
- DOI
- 10.1007/s11207-017-1113-4
- ISSN
- 0038-0938
- eISSN
- 1573-093X
- Grant note
- INPE 11/01.12.0527.00 / Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos (http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100004809) 2014/24711-6; 2014/21229-9 / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100001807) 304209/2014-7; 301495/2015-7; 305373/2010-2; 313281/2015-7; 312743/2015-7; 112886/2015-9; 152050/2016-7 / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100003593) 10-069/1544652 / RBSP-REPT 605745; 605745 / Goddard Space Flight Center (http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/100006198)
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 06/29/2017
- Academic Unit
- Physics and Astronomy
- Record Identifier
- 9984199674302771
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