@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}
}
@article{AseevShpritsDrozdovetal.2017,
  author    = {Aseev, Nikita and Shprits, Yuri Y. and Drozdov, Alexander and Kellerman, Adam C. and Usanova, Maria E. and Wang, D. and Zhelavskaya, Irina},
  title     = {Signatures of Ultrarelativistic Electron Loss in the Heart of the Outer Radiation Belt Measured by Van Allen Probes},
  series = {Journal of geophysical research : Space physics},
  volume    = {122},
  journal   = {Journal of geophysical research : Space physics},
  publisher = {American Geophysical Union},
  address   = {Washington},
  issn      = {2169-9380},
  doi       = {10.1002/2017JA024485},
  pages     = {10102 -- 10111},
  year      = {2017},
  abstract  = {Up until recently, signatures of the ultrarelativistic electron loss driven by electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves in the Earth's outer radiation belt have been limited to direct or indirect measurements of electron precipitation or the narrowing of normalized pitch angle distributions in the heart of the belt. In this study, we demonstrate additional observational evidence of ultrarelativistic electron loss that can be driven by resonant interaction with EMIC waves. We analyzed the profiles derived from Van Allen Probe particle data as a function of time and three adiabatic invariants between 9 October and 29 November 2012. New local minimums in the profiles are accompanied by the narrowing of normalized pitch angle distributions and ground\&\#8208;based detection of EMIC waves. Such a correlation may be indicative of ultrarelativistic electron precipitation into the Earth's atmosphere caused by resonance with EMIC waves.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{AseevShpritsWangetal.2019,
  author    = {Aseev, Nikita and Shprits, Yuri Y. and Wang, Dedong and Wygant, John and Drozdov, Alexander and Kellerman, Adam C. and Reeves, Geoffrey D.},
  title     = {Transport and loss of ring current electrons inside geosynchronous orbit during the 17 March 2013 storm},
  series = {Journal of geophysical research : Space physics},
  volume    = {124},
  journal   = {Journal of geophysical research : Space physics},
  number    = {2},
  publisher = {American Geophysical Union},
  address   = {Washington},
  issn      = {2169-9380},
  doi       = {10.1029/2018JA026031},
  pages     = {915 -- 933},
  year      = {2019},
  abstract  = {Ring current electrons (1-100 keV) have received significant attention in recent decades, but many questions regarding their major transport and loss mechanisms remain open. In this study, we use the four-dimensional Versatile Electron Radiation Belt code to model the enhancement of phase space density that occurred during the 17 March 2013 storm. Our model includes global convection, radial diffusion, and scattering into the Earth's atmosphere driven by whistler-mode hiss and chorus waves. We study the sensitivity of the model to the boundary conditions, global electric field, the electric field associated with subauroral polarization streams, electron loss rates, and radial diffusion coefficients. The results of the code are almost insensitive to the model parameters above 4.5 RERE, which indicates that the general dynamics of the electrons between 4.5 RE and the geostationary orbit can be explained by global convection. We found that the major discrepancies between the model and data can stem from the inaccurate electric field model and uncertainties in lifetimes. We show that additional mechanisms that are responsible for radial transport are required to explain the dynamics of ≥40-keV electrons, and the inclusion of the radial diffusion rates that are typically assumed in radiation belt studies leads to a better agreement with the data. The overall effect of subauroral polarization streams on the electron phase space density profiles seems to be smaller than the uncertainties in other input parameters. This study is an initial step toward understanding the dynamics of these particles inside the geostationary orbit.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{CastilloShpritsGanushkinaetal.2019,
  author    = {Castillo, Angelica M. and Shprits, Yuri Y. and Ganushkina, Natalia and Drozdov, Alexander and Aseev, Nikita and Wang, Dedong and Dubyagin, Stepan},
  title     = {Simulations of the inner magnetospheric energetic electrons using the IMPTAM-VERB coupled model},
  series = {Journal of Atmospheric and Solar-Terrestrial Physics},
  volume    = {191},
  journal   = {Journal of Atmospheric and Solar-Terrestrial Physics},
  publisher = {Elsevier},
  address   = {Oxford},
  issn      = {1364-6826},
  doi       = {10.1016/j.jastp.2019.05.014},
  pages     = {17},
  year      = {2019},
  abstract  = {In this study, we present initial results of the coupling between the Inner Magnetospheric Particle Transport and Acceleration Model (IMPTAM) and the Versatile Electron Radiation Belt (VERB-3D) code. IMPTAM traces electrons of 10-100 keV energies from the plasma sheet (L = 9 Re) to inner L-shell regions. The flux evolution modeled by IMPTAM is used at the low energy and outer L* computational boundaries of the VERB code (assuming a dipole approximation) to perform radiation belt simulations of energetic electrons. The model was tested on the March 17th, 2013 storm, for a six-day period. Four different simulations were performed and their results compared to satellites observations from Van Allen probes and GOES. The coupled IMPTAM-VERB model reproduces evolution and storm-time features of electron fluxes throughout the studied storm in agreement with the satellite data (within similar to 0.5 orders of magnitude). Including dynamics of the low energy population at L* = 6.6 increases fluxes closer to the heart of the belt and has a strong impact in the VERB simulations at all energies. However, inclusion of magnetopause losses leads to drastic flux decreases even below L* = 3. The dynamics of low energy electrons (max. 10s of keV) do not affect electron fluxes at energies >= 900 keV. Since the IMPTAM-VERB coupled model is only driven by solar wind parameters and the Dst and Kp indexes, it is suitable as a forecasting tool. In this study, we demonstrate that the estimation of electron dynamics with satellite-data-independent models is possible and very accurate.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{CervantesVillaShpritsAseevetal.2019,
  author    = {Cervantes Villa, Juan Sebastian and Shprits, Yuri Y. and Aseev, Nikita and Drozdov, Alexander and Castillo Tibocha, Angelica Maria and Stolle, Claudia},
  title     = {Identifying radiation belt electron source and loss processes by assimilating spacecraft data in a three-dimensional diffusion model},
  series = {Journal of geophysical research : Space physics},
  volume    = {125},
  journal   = {Journal of geophysical research : Space physics},
  number    = {1},
  publisher = {American Geophysical Union},
  address   = {Washington},
  issn      = {2169-9380},
  doi       = {10.1029/2019JA027514},
  pages     = {16},
  year      = {2019},
  abstract  = {Data assimilation aims to blend incomplete and inaccurate data with physics-based dynamical models. In the Earth's radiation belts, it is used to reconstruct electron phase space density, and it has become an increasingly important tool in validating our current understanding of radiation belt dynamics, identifying new physical processes, and predicting the near-Earth hazardous radiation environment. In this study, we perform reanalysis of the sparse measurements from four spacecraft using the three-dimensional Versatile Electron Radiation Belt diffusion model and a split-operator Kalman filter over a 6-month period from 1 October 2012 to 1 April 2013. In comparison to previous works, our 3-D model accounts for more physical processes, namely, mixed pitch angle-energy diffusion, scattering by Electromagnetic Ion Cyclotron waves, and magnetopause shadowing. We describe how data assimilation, by means of the innovation vector, can be used to account for missing physics in the model. We use this method to identify the radial distances from the Earth and the geomagnetic conditions where our model is inconsistent with the measured phase space density for different values of the invariants mu and K. As a result, the Kalman filter adjusts the predictions in order to match the observations, and we interpret this as evidence of where and when additional source or loss processes are active. The current work demonstrates that 3-D data assimilation provides a comprehensive picture of the radiation belt electrons and is a crucial step toward performing reanalysis using measurements from ongoing and future missions.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{DrozdovAllisonShpritsetal.2022,
  author    = {Drozdov, Alexander and Allison, Hayley J. and Shprits, Yuri Y. and Usanova, Maria E. and Saikin, Anthony and Wang, Dedong},
  title     = {Depletions of Multi-MeV Electrons and their association to Minima in Phase Space Density},
  series = {Geophysical research letters},
  volume    = {49},
  journal   = {Geophysical research letters},
  number    = {8},
  publisher = {American Geophysical Union},
  address   = {Washington},
  issn      = {0094-8276},
  doi       = {10.1029/2021GL097620},
  pages     = {11},
  year      = {2022},
  abstract  = {Fast-localized electron loss, resulting from interactions with electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves, can produce deepening minima in phase space density (PSD) radial profiles. Here, we perform a statistical analysis of local PSD minima to quantify how readily these are associated with radiation belt depletions. The statistics of PSD minima observed over a year are compared to the Versatile Electron Radiation Belts (VERB) simulations, both including and excluding EMIC waves. The observed minima distribution can only be achieved in the simulation including EMIC waves, indicating their importance in the dynamics of the radiation belts. By analyzing electron flux depletions in conjunction with the observed PSD minima, we show that, in the heart of the outer radiation belt (L* < 5), on average, 53\% of multi-MeV electron depletions are associated with PSD minima, demonstrating that fast localized loss by interactions with EMIC waves are a common and crucial process for ultra-relativistic electron populations.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{DrozdovAseevEffenbergeretal.2019,
  author    = {Drozdov, Alexander and Aseev, Nikita and Effenberger, Frederic and Turner, Drew L. and Saikin, Anthony and Shprits, Yuri Y.},
  title     = {Storm Time Depletions of Multi-MeV Radiation Belt Electrons Observed at Different Pitch Angles},
  series = {Journal of geophysical research : Space physics},
  volume    = {124},
  journal   = {Journal of geophysical research : Space physics},
  number    = {11},
  publisher = {American Geophysical Union},
  address   = {Washington},
  issn      = {2169-9380},
  doi       = {10.1029/2019JA027332},
  pages     = {8943 -- 8953},
  year      = {2019},
  abstract  = {During geomagnetic storms, the rapid depletion of the high-energy (several MeV) outer radiation belt electrons is the result of loss to the interplanetary medium through the magnetopause, outward radial diffusion, and loss to the atmosphere due to wave-particle interactions. We have performed a statistical study of 110 storms using pitch angle resolved electron flux measurements from the Van Allen Probes mission and found that inside of the radiation belt (L* = 3 - 5) the number of storms that result in depletion of electrons with equatorial pitch angle alpha(eq) = 30 degrees is higher than number of storms that result in depletion of electrons with equatorial pitch angle alpha(eq) = 75 degrees. We conclude that this result is consistent with electron scattering by whistler and electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves. At the outer edge of the radiation belt (L* >= 5.2) the number of storms that result in depletion is also large (similar to 40-50\%), emphasizing the significance of the magnetopause shadowing effect and outward radial transport.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{DrozdovShpritsUsanovaetal.2017,
  author    = {Drozdov, Alexander and Shprits, Yuri Y. and Usanova, Maria E. and Aseev, Nikita and Kellerman, Adam C. and Zhu, H.},
  title     = {EMIC wave parameterization in the long-term VERB code simulation},
  series = {Journal of geophysical research : Space physics},
  volume    = {122},
  journal   = {Journal of geophysical research : Space physics},
  publisher = {American Geophysical Union},
  address   = {Washington},
  issn      = {2169-9380},
  doi       = {10.1002/2017JA024389},
  pages     = {8488 -- 8501},
  year      = {2017},
  abstract  = {Electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves play an important role in the dynamics of ultrarelativistic electron population in the radiation belts. However, as EMIC waves are very sporadic, developing a parameterization of such wave properties is a challenging task. Currently, there are no dynamic, activity-dependent models of EMIC waves that can be used in the long-term (several months) simulations, which makes the quantitative modeling of the radiation belt dynamics incomplete. In this study, we investigate Kp, Dst, and AE indices, solar wind speed, and dynamic pressure as possible parameters of EMIC wave presence. The EMIC waves are included in the long-term simulations (1year, including different geomagnetic activity) performed with the Versatile Electron Radiation Belt code, and we compare results of the simulation with the Van Allen Probes observations. The comparison shows that modeling with EMIC waves, parameterized by solar wind dynamic pressure, provides a better agreement with the observations among considered parameterizations. The simulation with EMIC waves improves the dynamics of ultrarelativistic fluxes and reproduces the formation of the local minimum in the phase space density profiles.},
  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{LandisSaikinZhelavskayaetal.2022,
  author    = {Landis, Daji August and Saikin, Anthony and Zhelavskaya, Irina and Drozdov, Alexander and Aseev, Nikita and Shprits, Yuri Y. and Pfitzer, Maximilian F. and Smirnov, Artem G.},
  title     = {NARX Neural Network Derivations of the Outer Boundary Radiation Belt Electron Flux},
  series = {Space Weather: the international journal of research and applications},
  volume    = {20},
  journal   = {Space Weather: the international journal of research and applications},
  number    = {5},
  publisher = {American Geophysical Union},
  address   = {Washington},
  issn      = {1542-7390},
  doi       = {10.1029/2021SW002774},
  pages     = {18},
  year      = {2022},
  abstract  = {We present two new empirical models of radiation belt electron flux at geostationary orbit. GOES-15 measurements of 0.8 MeV electrons were used to train a Nonlinear Autoregressive with Exogenous input (NARX) neural network for both modeling GOES-15 flux values and an upper boundary condition scaling factor (BF). The GOES-15 flux model utilizes an input and feedback delay of 2 and 2 time steps (i.e., 5 min time steps) with the most efficient number of hidden layers set to 10. Magnetic local time, Dst, Kp, solar wind dynamic pressure, AE, and solar wind velocity were found to perform as predicative indicators of GOES-15 flux and therefore were used as the exogenous inputs. The NARX-derived upper boundary condition scaling factor was used in conjunction with the Versatile Electron Radiation Belt (VERB) code to produce reconstructions of the radiation belts during the period of July-November 1990, independent of in-situ observations. Here, Kp was chosen as the sole exogenous input to be more compatible with the VERB code. This Combined Release and Radiation Effects Satellite-era reconstruction showcases the potential to use these neural network-derived boundary conditions as a method of hindcasting the historical radiation belts. This study serves as a companion paper to another recently published study on reconstructing the radiation belts during Solar Cycles 17-24 (Saikin et al., 2021, ), for which the results featured in this paper were used.},
  language  = {en}
}