Prompt energization of relativistic and highly relativistic electrons during a substorm interval: Van Allen Probes observations

• Main Authors: Baker, D. N. (Author), Claudepierre, S. G. (Author), Kletzing, C. A. (Author), Kurth, W. (Author), Reeves, G. D. (Author), Thaller, S. A. (Author), Spence, H. E. (Author), Shprits, Y. Y. (Author), Wygant, J. R. (Author), Foster, John C (Contributor), Erickson, Philip J (Contributor)
• Other Authors: Haystack Observatory (Contributor), Foster, John C. (Contributor)
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: American Geophysical Union (AGU), 2017-05-23T14:38:13Z.
• Subjects: Article
• Online Access: Get fulltext

On 17 March 2013, a large magnetic storm significantly depleted the multi-MeV radiation belt. We present multi-instrument observations from the Van Allen Probes spacecraft Radiat ion Belt Storm Probe A and Radiation Belt Storm Probe B at ~6 Re in the midnight sector magnetosphere and from ground-based ionospheric sensors during a substorm dipolarization followed by rapid reenergization of multi-MeV electrons. A 50% increase in magnetic field magnitude occurred simultaneously with dramatic increases in 100 keV electron fluxes and a 100 times increase in VLF wave intensity. The 100 keV electrons and intense VLF waves provide a seed population and energy source for subsequent radiation belt enhancements. Highly relativistic (>2 MeV) electron fluxes increased immediately at L* ~ 4.5 and 4.5 MeV flux increased >90 times at L* = 4 over 5 h. Although plasmasphere expansion brings the enhanced radiation belt multi-MeV fluxes inside the plasmasphere several hours postsubstorm, we localize their prompt reenergization during the event to regions outside the plasmasphere.
University of Minnesota (Van Allen Probes subaward to Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Prime contract NAS5-01072)
United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (grant NNX10AK99G)
United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (grant NNX13AE34G)
United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (grant NNX09AF51G)
National Science Foundation (U.S.) (grant AGS-1203747)