Observations of relativistic electron precipitation during the 2009 Valentine's Day Storm: Results from the first BARREL test flight

Physics

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[2716] Magnetospheric Physics / Energetic Particles: Precipitating, [2730] Magnetospheric Physics / Magnetosphere: Inner, [2774] Magnetospheric Physics / Radiation Belts, [2794] Magnetospheric Physics / Instruments And Techniques

Scientific paper

BARREL (Balloon Array for RBSP Relativistic Electron Losses) is a multiple-balloon investigation that will study electron losses from Earth's Radiation Belts. Atmospheric losses of relativistic electrons play an important role in radiation belt dynamics; precipitation into the atmosphere may even completely deplete the radiation belts during the main phase of some geomagnetic storms. BARREL will consist of Antarctic balloon campaigns conducted in Austral summers of 2012 and 2013 during the RBSP mission. During each campaign, a total of 20 small (~30 kg) balloon payloads will be launched to an altitude of 30-35 km to maintain an array of 5-8 payloads extending across up to 8 hours of magnetic local time for 40 days. Each balloon will carry a NaI scintillator to measure the bremsstrahlung X-rays produced by precipitating relativistic electrons as they collide with neutrals in Earth’s atmosphere. In December 2008, a BARREL prototype instrument was launched from McMurdo, Antarctica and carried for 54 days at an altitude of 34 km on NASA's new superpressure balloon. We present an overview of the BARREL investigation and report on observations of relativistic electron precipitation observed during a geomagnetic storm on Feb. 14-18, 2009. This storm was relatively weak (Dst = -36 nT), yet was remarkably effective in increasing the trapped electron population.

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