HR: 0800h
AN: SM11A-0327    [Abstracts]
TI: Quantification of the Precipitation of Outer Radiation Belt Relativistic Electrons
AU: * Chen, Y
EM: cheny@lanl.gov
AF: Los Alamos National Laboratory, PO Box 1663, MS D466, Los Alamos, NM 87545,
AU: Friedel, R H
EM: friedel@lanl.gov
AF: Los Alamos National Laboratory, PO Box 1663, MS D466, Los Alamos, NM 87545,
AU: Reeves, G D
EM: reeves@lanl.gov
AF: Los Alamos National Laboratory, PO Box 1663, MS D466, Los Alamos, NM 87545,
AU: Cayton, T
EM: tcayton@lanl.gov
AF: Los Alamos National Laboratory, PO Box 1663, MS D466, Los Alamos, NM 87545,
AU: Christensen, R A
EM: rchristensen@lanl.gov
AF: Los Alamos National Laboratory, PO Box 1663, MS D440, Los Alamos, NM 87545,
AB: Quantifying critical physical processes controlling relativistic electron dynamics in the Earth’s outer radiation belt is the prerequisite for the development of space weather models. It is well known that a balance of competing source and loss processes determines the radiation belt electron dynamics. Although recent progress has been made on source processes, a complete model prediction of relativistic electrons still requires quantitative determination of loss processes, especially the effects of precipitation into the atmosphere due to wave-particle interactions. We will perform a statistical study of the decade-long multi-satellite electron observations from SAMPEX, LANL GEO and GPS. First we will develop an empirical model that describes the precipitation as functions of electron energy, longitude, latitude/L shell, local time, seasons, storm phases and sunspot phases. Then by comparing the decay rate of trapped electrons observed at the equatorial plane to the precipitation rates observed at low altitude, we can quantitatively determine the role of precipitation on the loss of relativistic electrons, especially for the portion of radiation belt with L>4.
DE: 2716 Energetic particles: precipitating
DE: 2720 Energetic particles: trapped
DE: 2730 Magnetosphere: inner
DE: 2774 Radiation belts
DE: 2788 Magnetic storms and substorms (7954)
SC: SPA-Magnetospheric Physics [SM]
MN: 2007 Fall Meeting