Physics
Scientific paper
May 2001
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2001agusm..sm42c10c&link_type=abstract
American Geophysical Union, Spring Meeting 2001, abstract #SM42C-10
Physics
2720 Energetic Particles, Trapped, 2730 Magnetosphere--Inner, 2784 Solar Wind/Magnetosphere Interactions, 2788 Storms And Substorms
Scientific paper
Particle trapping boundaries are, by definition, the last closed drift path of an inner magnetospheric charged particle. Particles will be on closed drift paths if they are able to preserve all three of their adiabatic invariants. The position of this boundary for a given particle depends on several intrinsic properties: (1) energy, (2) charge and (3) pitch angle, and also several external factors: (1) magnetopause position, (2) convection electric field strength, and (3) both the topology and time-variation of the Earth's magnetic field. On GPS we regularly measure energetic electron (0.2 -- 3 MeV) particle cut-offs at positions far inside the magnetosphere, at L-values as close as L=5, during times of very small geomagnetic disturbances or even quiet periods. During these times ``traditional'' factors such as magnetopause position are not limiting the trapping boundary, and electric fields have a very minor effect on particle drifts at these energies. We postulate here that magnetic field topology effects become important for this energy range. Relativistic electron have large gyro-radii, which can lead to the breaking of the 2nd (bounce) adiabatic invariant in stretched field configurations, leading to stochastic scattering and de-trapping of the electrons. We present evidence here that relativistic electrons are very sensitive to this effect, acting in effect as a sensor to small cross-tail current enhancements, which can lead to the de-trapping of these electron even during relatively quiet periods.
Cayton Thomas E.
Friedel Reiner H.
Ingraham J. C.
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