The evolution of ring current ion energy density and energy content during geomagnetic storms based on Van Allen Probes measurements

Authors:
Open Access
Publisher website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Enabled by the comprehensive measurements from the Magnetic Electron Ion Spectrometer (MagEIS), Helium Oxygen Proton Electron mass spectrometer (HOPE), and Radiation Belt Storm Probes Ion Composition Experiment (RBSPICE) instruments onboard Van Allen Probes in the heart of the radiation belt, the relative contributions of ions with different energies and species to the ring current energy density and their dependence on the phases of geomagnetic storms are quantified. The results show that lower energy (+ is ~25% of the ring current energy content during the main phase and the majority of that comes from +. This indicates that even during moderate geomagnetic storms the ionosphere is still an important contributor to the ring current ions. Using the Dessler‐Parker‐Sckopke relation, the contributions of ring current particles to the magnetic field depression during this geomagnetic storm are also calculated. The results show that the measured ring current ions contribute about half of the Dst depression.
Funding Information
  • National Centers for Environmental Information

This publication has 65 references indexed in Scilit: