HR: 1400h
AN: SM53A-03    [Abstracts]
TI: Observational constraints on relativistic electron dynamics: temporal evolution of electron spectra and flux isotropization
AU: * Kanekal, S G
EM: shri.kanekal@lasp.colorado.edu
AF: Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, 1234 Innovation Drive, Boulder, CO 80303, United States
AU: Selesnick, R S
EM: Richard.S.Selesnick@aero.org
AF: The Aerospace Corporation, P.O. Box 92957, Los Angeles, CA 90009, United States
AU: Baker, D N
AF: Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, 1234 Innovation Drive, Boulder, CO 80303, United States
AU: Blake, J B
AF: The Aerospace Corporation, P.O. Box 92957, Los Angeles, CA 90009, United States
AB: Models of energization of electrons in the Earth's outer radiation belts invoke two classes of processes, radial transport and in-situ wave-particle interactions. Temporal evolution of electron spectra and flux isotropization during energization events provide useful observational constraints on models of electron energization. Events dominated by radial diffusion result in pancake type pitch angle distributions whereas some in-situ wave-particle energization mechanisms include pitch angle scattering leading to rapid flux isotropization. We present a survey of flux isotrpization time scales and electron spectra during relativstic electron enhancement events. We will use data collected by detectors onboard SAMPEX in low earth orbit and Polar which measures electron fluxes at higher altitude to measure flux isotropization. Electron spectra are obtained by pulse height analyzed data from the PET detector onboard SAMPEX.SAMPEX measurements cover the entire outer zone for more than a decade from mid 1992 to mid 2004 and Polar covers the time period from mid 1996 to the present.
DE: 2720 Energetic particles: trapped
DE: 2730 Magnetosphere: inner
DE: 2774 Radiation belts
SC: SPA-Magnetospheric Physics [SM]
MN: 2007 Joint Assembly