Proton loss of inner radiation belt during geomagnetic storm of 2018 based on CSES satellite observation

The proton distribution in inner radiation belt is often affected by strong geomagnetic storm disturbance.Based on the data of the sun-synchronous CSES satellite,which carries with several high energy particle payloads and was launched in February 2018,we analyzed the extensive proton variations in the inner radiation belt in a wide energy range of 2 MeV-220 MeV during 2018 major geomagnetic storm.The result indicates that the loss mechanism of protons was energy dependence which is consistent with some previous studies.For protons at low energy 2 MeV-20 MeV,the fluxes were decreased during main phase of the storm and did not come back quickly during the recovery phase,which is likely to be caused by Coulomb collision due to neutral atmosphere density variation.At higher energy 30 MeV-100 MeV,it was confirmed that the magnetic field line curvature scattering plays a significant role in the proton loss phenomenon during this storm.At highest energies>100 MeV,the fluxes of protons kept a stable level and did not exhibit a significant loss during this storm.

Test particle simulation on the ion and electron zebra stripes and their time evolution in inner radiation belt

During February 15–16, 2014, the energetic electron spectrogram for four successive inner radiation belt crossing show clearly the electron zebra structures and their time evolution which last for about 17 h. Unfortunately, the time of flight(TOF) in RBSPICE measurement is turned off below 3 RE, and the ion measurement is contaminated by electrons. Thus in this study we studied the differences between the ion and electron zebra stripe structures and their time evolution using simple theory and test particle simulation, combining the electron measurement from RBSIPICE onboard Van Allen Probes. Theoretical analysis predicts that the ion zebra stripe structures should lie at a higher energy range than the corresponding electron zebra stripe structures due to that the directions of gradient B drift and corotation E×B drift are the same for electrons while opposite for ions. Test particle simulation with the dipole magnetic field and Volland-Stern electric field model have shown that the ion and electron zebra stripe structures could be produced by the convection electric field penetrating into the inner magnetosphere in this event, with their time evolution determined by total drift velocity that are different for ions and electrons. The predicted differences between the ion and electron zebra stripe structures are partially verified through observation. The ion zebra stripe structures could have potential influence to the ring current.

Proton belt variations traced back to Fengyun-1C satellite observations

We used historical data to trace trapped protons observed by the Fengyun-1C(FY-1C)satellite at low Earth orbits(~800 km)and chose data at 5–10 MeV,10–40 MeV,40–100 MeV,and^100–300 MeV from 25 March to 18 April 2000 to analyze the proton variations.Only one isolated strong storm was associated with a solar proton event during this period,and there was no influence from previous proton variations.Complex dynamic phenomena of proton trapping and loss were affected by this disturbance differently depending on the energy and L location.The flux of 5–10 MeV protons increased and created new trapping with a maximum at L^2.0,and the peak flux was significantly higher than that at the center of the South Atlantic Anomaly.However,at higher L,the flux showed obvious loss,with retreat of the outer boundary from L^2.7 to L^2.5.The increase in the 10–40 MeV proton flux was similar to that of the 5–10 MeV flux;however,the peak flux intensity was lower than that at the center of the South Atlantic Anomaly.The loss of the 10–40 MeV proton flux was closer to the Earth side,and the outer boundary was reduced from L^2.3 to L^2.25.For the higher energy protons of 40–100 MeV and 100–300 MeV,no new trapping was found.Loss of the 40–100 MeV protons was observed,and the outer boundary shifted from L^2.0 to L^1.9.Loss was not obvious for the 100–400 MeV protons,which were distributed within L<1.8.New proton trapping was more likely to be created at lower energy in the region of solar proton injection by the strong magnetic storm,whereas loss occurred in a wide energy range and reduced the outer boundary on the Earth side.Similar dynamic changes were observed by the NOAA-15 satellite in the same period,but the FY-1C satellite observed more complex changes in lower energy protons.These results revealed that the dynamic behavior of protons with different L-shells was due to differences in the pitch angle.Possible mechanisms related to new trapping and loss are also discussed.These mechanisms are very important for understanding the behavior of the proton belt in the coming solar cycle.