Lightning‐induced energetic electron flux enhancements in the drift loss cone

Blake, J. B.; Inan, U. S.; Walt, M.; Bell, T. F.; Bortnik, J.; Chenette, D. L.; Christian, H. J.

doi:10.1029/2001ja000067

Cited by 45 publications

(56 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…However, during major geomagnetic storms, such as the Halloween storm in 2003, the flux of relativistic electrons in the slot region increases dramatically [Baker et al, 2004], as a result of enhanced inward transport and wave acceleration Shprits et al, 2006;Thorne et al, 2007]. The enhanced flux of relativistic electrons subsequently decay to the prestorm equilibrium levels on a timescale of days to weeks, largely due to the resonant pitch angle scattering by plasmaspheric hiss [Lyons et al, 1972;Lyons and Thorne, 1973;Albert, 1994;Thorne 1998a, 1998b], although losses due to lightning-induced electron precipitation may be important at lower energies [Voss et al, 1998;Blake et al, 2001;Rodger and Clilverd, 2002]. Farther out, pitch angle scattering by plasmaspheric hiss contributes to the loss of outer radiation belt electrons during the main and recovery phases of a storm [Summers et al, 2007] and can explain the quiet time decay of outer radiation belt electrons over a wide range of energies and L shells [e.g., Meredith et al, 2006a].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Slot region electron loss timescales due to plasmaspheric hiss and lightning‐generated whistlers

et al. 2007

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[1] Energetic electrons (E > 100 keV) in the Earth's radiation belts undergo Dopplershifted cyclotron resonant interactions with a variety of whistler mode waves leading to pitch angle scattering and subsequent loss to the atmosphere. In this study we assess the relative importance of plasmaspheric hiss and lightning-generated whistlers in the slot region and beyond. Electron loss timescales are determined using the Pitch Angle and energy Diffusion of Ions and Electrons (PADIE) code with global models of the spectral distributions of the wave power based on CRRES observations. Our results show that plasmaspheric hiss propagating at small and intermediate wave normal angles is a significant scattering agent in the slot region and beyond. In contrast, plasmaspheric hiss propagating at large wave normal angles and lightning-generated whistlers do not contribute significantly to radiation belt loss. The loss timescale of 2 MeV electrons due to plasmaspheric hiss propagating at small and intermediate wave normal angles in the center of the slot region (L = 2.5) lies in the range 1-10 days, consistent with recent Solar Anomalous and Magnetospheric Particle Explorer (SAMPEX) observations. Wave turbulence in space, which is responsible for the generation plasmaspheric hiss, thus leads to the formation of the slot region. During active periods, losses due to plasmaspheric hiss may occur on a timescale of 1 day or less for a wide range of energies, 200 keV < E < 1 MeV, in the region 3.5 < L < 4.0. Plasmaspheric hiss may thus also be a significant loss process in the inner region of the outer radiation belt during magnetically disturbed periods.Citation: Meredith, N. P., R. B. Horne, S. A. Glauert, and R. R. Anderson (2007), Slot region electron loss timescales due to plasmaspheric hiss and lightning-generated whistlers,

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Slot region electron loss timescales due to plasmaspheric hiss and lightning‐generated whistlers

et al. 2007

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“…Lightning-generated whistler mode waves are also filled in the plasmasphere and have an important role in the loss processes of inner belt electrons (Blake et al, 2001;Rodger et al, 2003Rodger et al, , 2004Rodger et al, , 2007. However, it is unlikely that theses whistler mode waves always appear in the inner radiation belt during a storm as discusses in this study.…”

Section: Numerical Calculationmentioning

confidence: 72%

“…Therefore, observed electrons consist of electrons in the bounce loss cone, the drift loss cone, and the trapped region. Following a method of Blake et al (2001), we restrict the data in the drift loss cone and in the trapped region to geographic longitude ranging from 180 • to 280 • in the Northern Hemisphere, and from 180 • to 250 • in the Southern Hemisphere, and from 300 • to 50 • in the Southern Hemisphere (South Atlantic Anomaly). The electrons in these selected regions are almost insensitive to the anomaly of geomagnetic fields and have approximately the same inner belt flux level.…”

Section: Observationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Storm-time electron flux precipitation in the inner radiation belt caused by wave-particle interactions

et al. 2009

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Abstract. It has been believed that electrons in the inner belt do not show the dynamical variation during magnetic storms except for great magnetic storms. However, Tadokoro et al. (2007) recently disclosed that low-altitude electrons in the inner belt frequently show flux variations during storms (Storm Time inner belt Electron Enhancement at the Low altitude (STEEL)). This paper investigates a possible mechanism explaining STEEL during small and moderate storms, and shows that it is caused not by radial transport processes but by pitch angle scattering through wave-particle interactions. The waves related to wave-particle interactions are attributed to be banded whistler mode waves around 30 kHz observed in the inner magnetosphere by the Akebono satellite. The estimated pitch angle distribution based on a numerical calculation is roughly consistent with the observed results.

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“…2, top panel). This assumption seems reasonable, given that SAMPEX and UARS satellite data have revealed hundreds of cases where enhanced electron precipitation losses were associated with individual thunderstorms (Blake et al, 2001). As WEP originates from around the geomagnetic equator through the interaction of a whistler-wave with counter-streaming energetic electrons, one might expect the LIE to be produced only in the source lightning hemisphere.…”

Section: Global Distribution Of Trimpi Ratementioning

confidence: 99%

Lightning driven inner radiation belt energy deposition into the atmosphere: regional and global estimates

et al. 2005

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Abstract. In this study we examine energetic electron precipitation fluxes driven by lightning, in order to determine the global distribution of energy deposited into the middle atmosphere. Previous studies using lightning-driven precipitation burst rates have estimated losses from the inner radiation belts. In order to confirm the reliability of those rates and the validity of the conclusions drawn from those studies, we have analyzed New Zealand data to test our global understanding of troposphere to magnetosphere coupling. We examine about 10 000 h of AbsPAL recordings made from 17 April 2003 through to 26 June 2004, and analyze subionospheric very-low frequency (VLF) perturbations observed on transmissions from VLF transmitters in Hawaii (NPM) and western Australia (NWC). These observations are compared with those previously reported from the Antarctic Peninsula. The perturbation rates observed in the New Zealand data are consistent with those predicted from the global distribution of the lightning sources, once the different experimental configurations are taken into account. Using lightning current distributions rather than VLF perturbation observations we revise previous estimates of typical precipitation bursts at L∼2.3 to a mean precipitation energy flux of ∼1×10 −3 ergs cm −2 s −1 . The precipitation of energetic electrons by these bursts in the range L=1.9-3.5 will lead to a mean rate of energy deposited into the atmosphere of 3×10 −4 ergs cm −2 min −1 , spatially varying from a low of zero above some ocean regions to highs of ∼3-6×10 −3 ergs cm −2 min −1 above North America and its conjugate region.

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Lightning‐induced energetic electron flux enhancements in the drift loss cone

Cited by 45 publications

References 29 publications

Slot region electron loss timescales due to plasmaspheric hiss and lightning‐generated whistlers

Slot region electron loss timescales due to plasmaspheric hiss and lightning‐generated whistlers

Storm-time electron flux precipitation in the inner radiation belt caused by wave-particle interactions

Lightning driven inner radiation belt energy deposition into the atmosphere: regional and global estimates

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