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Using IMAGE-EUV and SAMPEX data, it has been confirmed that plasmasphere erosion is a necessary condition for
Earthward distortion of the Van Allen radiation belts. The belts
are separated by a so-called 'slot region' devoid of high-energy electrons. During geomagnetic storms, the
outer radiation belts can move Earthward causing
the size of the slot region to decrease. Two recent IMAGE papers have now shown that
this slot region shrinkage is directly related to erosion of the plasmasphere. Low frequency plasma waves
that inhabit the plasmasphere can interact with Van Allen belt electrons and remove them from the slot region
through a resonant interaction. When the plasmasphere is eroded, however, the Van Allen belt electrons are
free to move inwards into the slot
region without getting scattered by the plasmaspheric waves.
(2005: Goldstein et al.,; 2005: Baker et al.)
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Related IMAGE Discoveries
Additional Information
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Plasmasphere -The extension of Earth's ionosphere into space to altitudes of 10,000 kilometers or more, forming a tenuous region of charged particles that rotate with earth with a 24-hour period. |
Plasmasheet - A region of the magnetotail in the equatorial plane where
currents of particles are generated.
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IMAGE experiments
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Useful Web Resources
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Curator
Dr. S. Odenwald, sten.odenwald@gsfc.nasa.gov,
+1-301-286-6953
NSSDC, Mail Code 630, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center,
Greenbelt, MD 20771
NASA Approval: J. L. Green, James.Green@nasa.gov
Rev. 1.0.0, 24
July 2004, EVB II |
