Depletions of Multi-MeV Electrons and their association to Minima in Phase Space Density
- 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.
Author details: | Alexander DrozdovORCiDGND, Hayley J. AllisonORCiD, Yuri ShpritsORCiDGND, Maria E. UsanovaORCiD, Anthony SaikinORCiD, Dedong WangORCiD |
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DOI: | https://doi.org/10.1029/2021GL097620 |
ISSN: | 0094-8276 |
ISSN: | 1944-8007 |
Pubmed ID: | https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35866059 |
Title of parent work (English): | Geophysical research letters |
Publisher: | American Geophysical Union |
Place of publishing: | Washington |
Publication type: | Article |
Language: | English |
Date of first publication: | 2022/04/18 |
Publication year: | 2022 |
Release date: | 2024/06/05 |
Tag: | EMIC; PSD; VERB; radiation belts |
Volume: | 49 |
Issue: | 8 |
Article number: | e2021GL097620 |
Number of pages: | 11 |
Funding institution: | NASA [80NSSC18K0663, 80NSSC19K0265]; Alexander von Humboldt society;; International Space Sciences Institute (ISSI) |
Organizational units: | Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Fakultät / Institut für Physik und Astronomie |
Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Fakultät / Institut für Geowissenschaften | |
DDC classification: | 5 Naturwissenschaften und Mathematik / 55 Geowissenschaften, Geologie / 550 Geowissenschaften |
Peer review: | Referiert |
Publishing method: | Open Access / Hybrid Open-Access |
DOAJ gelistet | |
License (German): | CC-BY - Namensnennung 4.0 International |