@article{ZhelavskayaSpasojevicShpritsetal.2016, author = {Zhelavskaya, Irina and Spasojevic, M. and Shprits, Yuri Y. and Kurth, William S.}, title = {Automated determination of electron density from electric field measurements on the Van Allen Probes spacecraft}, series = {Journal of geophysical research : Space physics}, volume = {121}, journal = {Journal of geophysical research : Space physics}, publisher = {American Geophysical Union}, address = {Washington}, issn = {2169-9380}, doi = {10.1002/2015JA022132}, pages = {4611 -- 4625}, year = {2016}, abstract = {We present the Neural-network-based Upper hybrid Resonance Determination (NURD) algorithm for automatic inference of the electron number density from plasma wave measurements made on board NASA's Van Allen Probes mission. A feedforward neural network is developed to determine the upper hybrid resonance frequency, fuhr, from electric field measurements, which is then used to calculate the electron number density. In previous missions, the plasma resonance bands were manually identified, and there have been few attempts to do robust, routine automated detections. We describe the design and implementation of the algorithm and perform an initial analysis of the resulting electron number density distribution obtained by applying NURD to 2.5 years of data collected with the Electric and Magnetic Field Instrument Suite and Integrated Science (EMFISIS) instrumentation suite of the Van Allen Probes mission. Densities obtained by NURD are compared to those obtained by another recently developed automated technique and also to an existing empirical plasmasphere and trough density model.}, language = {en} } @article{ShpritsDrozdovSpasojevicetal.2016, author = {Shprits, Yuri Y. and Drozdov, Alexander and Spasojevic, Maria and Kellerman, Adam C. and Usanova, Maria E. and Engebretson, Mark J. and Agapitov, Oleksiy V. and Zhelavskaya, Irina and Raita, Tero J. and Spence, Harlan E. and Baker, Daniel N. and Zhu, Hui and Aseev, Nikita}, title = {Wave-induced loss of ultra-relativistic electrons in the Van Allen radiation belts}, series = {Nature Communications}, volume = {7}, journal = {Nature Communications}, publisher = {Nature Publ. Group}, address = {London}, issn = {2041-1723}, doi = {10.1038/ncomms12883}, pages = {7}, year = {2016}, language = {en} } @article{RipollLoridanCunninghametal.2016, author = {Ripoll, Jean-Fran{\c{c}}ois and Loridan, Vivien and Cunningham, G. S. and Reeves, Geoffrey D. and Shprits, Yuri Y.}, title = {On the time needed to reach an equilibrium structure of the radiation belts}, series = {Journal of geophysical research : Space physics}, volume = {121}, journal = {Journal of geophysical research : Space physics}, publisher = {American Geophysical Union}, address = {Washington}, issn = {2169-9380}, doi = {10.1002/2015JA022207}, pages = {7684 -- 7698}, year = {2016}, abstract = {In this study, we complement the notion of equilibrium states of the radiation belts with a discussion on the dynamics and time needed to reach equilibrium. We solve for the equilibrium states obtained using 1-D radial diffusion with recently developed hiss and chorus lifetimes at constant values of Kp = 1, 3, and 6. We find that the equilibrium states at moderately low Kp, when plotted versus L shell (L) and energy (E), display the same interesting S shape for the inner edge of the outer belt as recently observed by the Van Allen Probes. The S shape is also produced as the radiation belts dynamically evolve toward the equilibrium state when initialized to simulate the buildup after a massive dropout or to simulate loss due to outward diffusion from a saturated state. Physically, this shape, intimately linked with the slot structure, is due to the dependence of electron loss rate (originating from wave-particle interactions) on both energy and L shell. Equilibrium electron flux profiles are governed by the Biot number (tau(Diffusion)/tau(loss)), with large Biot number corresponding to low fluxes and low Biot number to large fluxes. The time it takes for the flux at a specific (L, E) to reach the value associated with the equilibrium state, starting from these different initial states, is governed by the initial state of the belts, the property of the dynamics (diffusion coefficients), and the size of the domain of computation. Its structure shows a rather complex scissor form in the (L, E) plane. The equilibrium value (phase space density or flux) is practically reachable only for selected regions in (L, E) and geomagnetic activity. Convergence to equilibrium requires hundreds of days in the inner belt for E>300 keV and moderate Kp (<= 3). It takes less time to reach equilibrium during disturbed geomagnetic conditions (Kp = 3), when the system evolves faster. Restricting our interest to the slot region, below L = 4, we find that only small regions in (L, E) space can reach the equilibrium value: E similar to [200, 300] keV for L= [3.7, 4] at Kp= 1, E similar to[0.6, 1] MeV for L = [3, 4] at Kp = 3, and E similar to 300 keV for L = [3.5, 4] at Kp = 6 assuming no new incoming electrons.}, language = {en} } @article{KronbergRashevDalyetal.2016, author = {Kronberg, Elena A. and Rashev, M. V. and Daly, P. W. and Shprits, Yuri Y. and Turner, D. L. and Drozdov, Alexander and Dobynde, M. and Kellerman, Adam C. and Fritz, T. A. and Pierrard, V. and Borremans, K. and Klecker, B. and Friedel, R.}, title = {Contamination in electron observations of the silicon detector on board}, series = {Space Weather: The International Journal of Research and Applications}, volume = {14}, journal = {Space Weather: The International Journal of Research and Applications}, publisher = {American Geophysical Union}, address = {Washington}, issn = {1542-7390}, doi = {10.1002/2016SW001369}, pages = {449 -- 462}, year = {2016}, abstract = {Since more than 15 years, the Cluster mission passes through Earth's radiation belts at least once every 2 days for several hours, measuring the electron intensity at energies from 30 to 400 keV. These data have previously been considered not usable due to contamination caused by penetrating energetic particles (protons at >100 keV and electrons at >400 keV). In this study, we assess the level of distortion of energetic electron spectra from the Research with Adaptive Particle Imaging Detector (RAPID)/Imaging Electron Spectrometer (IES) detector, determining the efficiency of its shielding. We base our assessment on the analysis of experimental data and a radiation transport code (Geant4). In simulations, we use the incident particle energy distribution of the AE9/AP9 radiation belt models. We identify the Roederer L values, L\&\#8902;, and energy channels that should be used with caution: at 3\&\#8804;L\&\#8902;\&\#8804;4, all energy channels (40-400 keV) are contaminated by protons (\&\#8771;230 to 630 keV and >600 MeV); at L\&\#8902;\&\#8771;1 and 4-6, the energy channels at 95-400 keV are contaminated by high-energy electrons (>400 keV). Comparison of the data with electron and proton observations from RBSP/MagEIS indicates that the subtraction of proton fluxes at energies \&\#8771; 230-630 keV from the IES electron data adequately removes the proton contamination. We demonstrate the usefulness of the corrected data for scientific applications.}, language = {en} } @article{KimShpritsBlake2016, author = {Kim, Kyung-Chan and Shprits, Yuri Y. and Blake, J. Bernard}, title = {Fast injection of the relativistic electrons into the inner zone and the formation of the split-zone structure during the Bastille Day storm in July 2000}, series = {Journal of geophysical research : Space physics}, volume = {121}, journal = {Journal of geophysical research : Space physics}, publisher = {American Geophysical Union}, address = {Washington}, issn = {2169-9380}, doi = {10.1002/2015JA022072}, pages = {8329 -- 8342}, year = {2016}, abstract = {During the July 2000 geomagnetic storm, known as the Bastille Day storm, Solar, Anomalous, and Magnetospheric Particle Explorer (SAMPEX)/Heavy Ion Large Telescope (HILT) observed a strong injection of similar to 1MeV electrons into the slot region (L similar to 2.5) during the storm main phase. Then, during the following month, electrons were clearly seen diffusing inward down to L=2 and forming a pronounced split structure encompassing a narrow, newly formed slot region around L=3. SAMPEX observations are first compared with electron and proton observations on HEO-3 and NOAA-15 to validate that the observed unusual dynamics was not caused by proton contamination of the SAMPEX instrument. The time-dependent 3-D Versatile Electron Radiation Belt (VERB) simulation of 1MeV electron flux evolution is compared with the SAMPEX/HILT observations. The results show that the VERB code predicts overall time evolution of the observed split structure. The simulated split structure is produced by pitch angle scattering into the Earth atmosphere of similar to 1MeV electrons by plasmaspheric hiss.}, language = {en} } @article{BoydSpenceHuangetal.2016, author = {Boyd, A. J. and Spence, Harlan E. and Huang, Chia-Lin and Reeves, Geoffrey D. and Baker, Daniel N. and Turner, D. L. and Claudepierre, Seth G. and Fennell, Joseph F. and Blake, J. Bernard and Shprits, Yuri Y.}, title = {Statistical properties of the radiation belt seed population}, series = {Journal of geophysical research : Space physics}, volume = {121}, journal = {Journal of geophysical research : Space physics}, publisher = {American Geophysical Union}, address = {Washington}, issn = {2169-9380}, doi = {10.1002/2016JA022652}, pages = {7636 -- 7646}, year = {2016}, abstract = {We present a statistical analysis of phase space density data from the first 26 months of the Van Allen Probes mission. In particular, we investigate the relationship between the tens and hundreds of keV seed electrons and >1 MeV core radiation belt electron population. Using a cross-correlation analysis, we find that the seed and core populations are well correlated with a coefficient of approximate to 0.73 with a time lag of 10-15 h. We present evidence of a seed population threshold that is necessary for subsequent acceleration. The depth of penetration of the seed population determines the inner boundary of the acceleration process. However, we show that an enhanced seed population alone is not enough to produce acceleration in the higher energies, implying that the seed population of hundreds of keV electrons is only one of several conditions required for MeV electron radiation belt acceleration.}, language = {en} } @article{AseevShpritsDrozdovetal.2016, author = {Aseev, Nikita and Shprits, Yuri Y. and Drozdov, Alexander and Kellerman, Adam C.}, title = {Numerical applications of the advective-diffusive codes for the inner magnetosphere}, series = {Space Weather: The International Journal of Research and Applications}, volume = {14}, journal = {Space Weather: The International Journal of Research and Applications}, publisher = {American Geophysical Union}, address = {Washington}, issn = {1542-7390}, doi = {10.1002/2016SW001484}, pages = {993 -- 1010}, year = {2016}, abstract = {In this study we present analytical solutions for convection and diffusion equations. We gather here the analytical solutions for the one-dimensional convection equation, the two-dimensional convection problem, and the one- and two-dimensional diffusion equations. Using obtained analytical solutions, we test the four-dimensional Versatile Electron Radiation Belt code (the VERB-4D code), which solves the modified Fokker-Planck equation with additional convection terms. The ninth-order upwind numerical scheme for the one-dimensional convection equation shows much more accurate results than the results obtained with the third-order scheme. The universal limiter eliminates unphysical oscillations generated by high-order linear upwind schemes. Decrease in the space step leads to convergence of a numerical solution of the two-dimensional diffusion equation with mixed terms to the analytical solution. We compare the results of the third- and ninth-order schemes applied to magnetospheric convection modeling. The results show significant differences in electron fluxes near geostationary orbit when different numerical schemes are used.}, language = {en} }