TY - JOUR A1 - Shprits, Yuri A1 - Allison, Hayley J. A1 - Wang, Dedong A1 - Drozdov, Alexander A1 - Szabo-Roberts, Matyas A1 - Zhelavskaya, Irina A1 - Vasile, Ruggero T1 - A new population of ultra-relativistic electrons in the outer radiation zone JF - Journal of geophysical research : Space physics N2 - Van Allen Probes measurements revealed the presence of the most unusual structures in the ultra-relativistic radiation belts. Detailed modeling, analysis of pitch angle distributions, analysis of the difference between relativistic and ultra-realistic electron evolution, along with theoretical studies of the scattering and wave growth, all indicate that electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves can produce a very efficient loss of the ultra-relativistic electrons in the heart of the radiation belts. Moreover, a detailed analysis of the profiles of phase space densities provides direct evidence for localized loss by EMIC waves. The evolution of multi-MeV fluxes shows dramatic and very sudden enhancements of electrons for selected storms. Analysis of phase space density profiles reveals that growing peaks at different values of the first invariant are formed at approximately the same radial distance from the Earth and show the sequential formation of the peaks from lower to higher energies, indicating that local energy diffusion is the dominant source of the acceleration from MeV to multi-MeV energies. Further simultaneous analysis of the background density and ultra-relativistic electron fluxes shows that the acceleration to multi-MeV energies only occurs when plasma density is significantly depleted outside of the plasmasphere, which is consistent with the modeling of acceleration due to chorus waves. KW - radiation belts KW - ultra-relativistic electrons KW - EMIC waves KW - modeling; KW - plasma density KW - chorus waves Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1029/2021JA030214 SN - 2169-9380 SN - 2169-9402 VL - 127 IS - 5 PB - American Geophysical Union CY - Washington ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Smirnov, Artem A1 - Shprits, Yuri A1 - Allison, Hayley A1 - Aseev, Nikita A1 - Drozdov, Alexander A1 - Kollmann, Peter A1 - Wang, Dedong A1 - Saikin, Anthony T1 - An empirical model of the equatorial electron pitch angle distributions in earth's outer radiation belt JF - Space Weather: the International Journal of Research and Applications N2 - In this study, we present an empirical model of the equatorial electron pitch angle distributions (PADs) in the outer radiation belt based on the full data set collected by the Magnetic Electron Ion Spectrometer (MagEIS) instrument onboard the Van Allen Probes in 2012-2019. The PADs are fitted with a combination of the first, third and fifth sine harmonics. The resulting equation resolves all PAD types found in the outer radiation belt (pancake, flat-top, butterfly and cap PADs) and can be analytically integrated to derive omnidirectional flux. We introduce a two-step modeling procedure that for the first time ensures a continuous dependence on L, magnetic local time and activity, parametrized by the solar wind dynamic pressure. We propose two methods to reconstruct equatorial electron flux using the model. The first approach requires two uni-directional flux observations and is applicable to low-PA data. The second method can be used to reconstruct the full equatorial PADs from a single uni- or omnidirectional measurement at off-equatorial latitudes. The model can be used for converting the long-term data sets of electron fluxes to phase space density in terms of adiabatic invariants, for physics-based modeling in the form of boundary conditions, and for data assimilation purposes. KW - pitch angle KW - radiation belt KW - model KW - magnetosphere KW - van allen probes; KW - electrons Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1029/2022SW003053 SN - 1542-7390 VL - 20 IS - 9 PB - American Geophysical Union CY - Washington, DC ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Wang, Dedong A1 - Shprits, Yuri A1 - Zhelayskaya, Irina S. A1 - Agapitov, Oleksiy A1 - Drozdov, Alexander A1 - Aseev, Nikita T1 - Analytical chorus wave model derived from van Allen Probe Observations JF - Journal of geophysical research : Space physics N2 - Chorus waves play an important role in the dynamic evolution of energetic electrons in the Earth's radiation belts and ring current. Using more than 5 years of Van Allen Probe data, we developed a new analytical model for upper‐band chorus (UBC; 0.5fce < f < fce) and lower‐band chorus (LBC; 0.05fce < f < 0.5fce) waves, where fce is the equatorial electron gyrofrequency. By applying polynomial fits to chorus wave root mean square amplitudes, we developed regression models for LBC and UBC as a function of geomagnetic activity (Kp), L, magnetic latitude (λ), and magnetic local time (MLT). Dependence on Kp is separated from the dependence on λ, L, and MLT as Kp‐scaling law to simplify the calculation of diffusion coefficients and inclusion into particle tracing codes. Frequency models for UBC and LBC are also developed, which depends on MLT and magnetic latitude. This empirical model is valid in all MLTs, magnetic latitude up to 20°, Kp ≤ 6, L‐shell range from 3.5 to 6 for LBC and from 4 to 6 for UBC. The dependence of root mean square amplitudes on L are different for different bands, which implies different energy sources for different wave bands. This analytical chorus wave model is convenient for inclusion in quasi‐linear diffusion calculations of electron scattering rates and particle simulations in the inner magnetosphere, especially for the newly developed four‐dimensional codes, which require significantly improved wave parameterizations. KW - chorus waves KW - radiation belt electrons KW - ring current electrons KW - analytical model KW - wave-particle interactions KW - diffusion coefficients Y1 - 2019 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1029/2018JA026183 SN - 2169-9380 SN - 2169-9402 VL - 124 IS - 2 SP - 1063 EP - 1084 PB - American Geophysical Union CY - Washington ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Kronberg, Elena A. A1 - Rashev, M. V. A1 - Daly, P. W. A1 - Shprits, Yuri A1 - Turner, D. L. A1 - Drozdov, Alexander A1 - Dobynde, M. A1 - Kellerman, Adam C. A1 - Fritz, T. A. A1 - Pierrard, V. A1 - Borremans, K. A1 - Klecker, B. A1 - Friedel, R. T1 - Contamination in electron observations of the silicon detector on board JF - Space Weather: The International Journal of Research and Applications N2 - 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⋆, and energy channels that should be used with caution: at 3≤L⋆≤4, all energy channels (40–400 keV) are contaminated by protons (≃230 to 630 keV and >600 MeV); at L⋆≃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 ≃ 230–630 keV from the IES electron data adequately removes the proton contamination. We demonstrate the usefulness of the corrected data for scientific applications. Y1 - 2016 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1002/2016SW001369 SN - 1542-7390 VL - 14 SP - 449 EP - 462 PB - American Geophysical Union CY - Washington ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Drozdov, Alexander A1 - Allison, Hayley J. A1 - Shprits, Yuri A1 - Usanova, Maria E. A1 - Saikin, Anthony A1 - Wang, Dedong T1 - Depletions of Multi-MeV Electrons and their association to Minima in Phase Space Density JF - Geophysical research letters N2 - 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. KW - radiation belts KW - EMIC KW - VERB KW - PSD Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1029/2021GL097620 SN - 0094-8276 SN - 1944-8007 VL - 49 IS - 8 PB - American Geophysical Union CY - Washington ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Drozdov, Alexander A1 - Shprits, Yuri A1 - Usanova, Maria E. A1 - Aseev, Nikita A1 - Kellerman, Adam C. A1 - Zhu, H. T1 - EMIC wave parameterization in the long-term VERB code simulation JF - Journal of geophysical research : Space physics N2 - 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. KW - radiation belts KW - VERB code KW - EMIC Y1 - 2017 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1002/2017JA024389 SN - 2169-9380 SN - 2169-9402 VL - 122 SP - 8488 EP - 8501 PB - American Geophysical Union CY - Washington ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Walker, Simon N. A1 - Boynton, Richard J. A1 - Shprits, Yuri A1 - Balikhin, Michael A. A1 - Drozdov, Alexander T1 - Forecast of the energetic electron environment of the radiation belts JF - Space Weather: The International Journal of Research and Applications N2 - Different modeling methodologies possess different strengths and weakness. For instance, data based models may provide superior accuracy but have a limited spatial coverage while physics based models may provide lower accuracy but provide greater spatial coverage. This study investigates the coupling of a data based model of the electron fluxes at geostationary orbit (GEO) with a numerical model of the radiation belt region to improve the resulting forecasts/pastcasts of electron fluxes over the whole radiation belt region. In particular, two coupling methods are investigated. The first assumes an average value for L* for GEO, namely LGEO* L-GEO* = 6.2. The second uses a value of L* that varies with geomagnetic activity, quantified using the Kp index. As the terrestrial magnetic field responds to variations in geomagnetic activity, the value of L* will vary for a specific location. In this coupling method, the value of L* is calculated using the Kp driven Tsyganenko 89c magnetic field model for field line tracing. It is shown that this addition can result in changes in the initialization of the parameters at the Versatile Electron Radiation Belt model outer boundary. Model outputs are compared to Van Allen Probes MagEIS measurements of the electron fluxes in the inner magnetosphere for the March 2015 geomagnetic storm. It is found that the fixed LGEO* L-GEO* coupling method produces a more realistic forecast. KW - radiation belt forecasts KW - data based NARMAX modeling KW - verb simulations; KW - geostationary orbit KW - electron flux forecasts Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1029/2022SW003124 SN - 1542-7390 VL - 20 IS - 12 PB - American Geophysical Union CY - Washington ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Cervantes Villa, Juan Sebastian A1 - Shprits, Yuri A1 - Aseev, Nikita A1 - Drozdov, Alexander A1 - Castillo Tibocha, Angelica Maria A1 - Stolle, Claudia T1 - Identifying radiation belt electron source and loss processes by assimilating spacecraft data in a three-dimensional diffusion model JF - Journal of geophysical research : Space physics N2 - 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. KW - acceleration KW - code KW - density KW - emic waves KW - energetic particle KW - mechanisms KW - reanalysis KW - ultrarelativistic electrons KW - weather Y1 - 2019 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1029/2019JA027514 SN - 2169-9380 SN - 2169-9402 VL - 125 IS - 1 PB - American Geophysical Union CY - Washington ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Shprits, Yuri A1 - Kellerman, Adam C . A1 - Aseev, Nikita A1 - Drozdov, Alexander A1 - Michaelis, Ingo T1 - Multi-MeV electron loss in the heart of the radiation belts JF - Geophysical research letters N2 - Significant progress has been made in recent years in understanding acceleration mechanisms in the Earth's radiation belts. In particular, a number of studies demonstrated the importance of the local acceleration by analyzing the radial profiles of phase space density (PSD) and observing building up peaks in PSD. In this study, we focus on understanding of the local loss using very similar tools. The profiles of PSD for various values of the first adiabatic invariants during the previously studied 17 January 2013 storm are presented and discussed. The profiles of PSD show clear deepening minimums consistent with the scattering by electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves. Long-term evolution shows that local minimums in PSD can persist for relatively long times. During considered interval of time the deepening minimums were observed around L* = 4 during 17 January 2013 storm and around L* = 3.5 during 1 March 2013 storm. This study shows a new method that can help identify the location, magnitude, and time of the local loss and will help quantify local loss in the future. This study also provides additional clear and definitive evidence that local loss plays a major role for the dynamics of the multi-MeV electrons. Y1 - 2017 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1002/2016GL072258 SN - 0094-8276 SN - 1944-8007 VL - 44 IS - 3 SP - 1204 EP - 1209 PB - American Geophysical Union CY - Washington ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Landis, Daji August A1 - Saikin, Anthony A1 - Zhelavskaya, Irina A1 - Drozdov, Alexander A1 - Aseev, Nikita A1 - Shprits, Yuri A1 - Pfitzer, Maximilian F. A1 - Smirnov, Artem G. T1 - NARX Neural Network Derivations of the Outer Boundary Radiation Belt Electron Flux JF - Space Weather: the international journal of research and applications N2 - 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. KW - radiation belts KW - forecasting (1922, 4315, 7924, 7964) KW - machine learning (0555) Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1029/2021SW002774 SN - 1542-7390 VL - 20 IS - 5 PB - American Geophysical Union CY - Washington ER -