Dynamics of electron fluxes in the slot between radiation belts in November–December 2014 according to data of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Vernov</Emphasis> satellite

The variations in the spatial structure and time in electron fluxes with E = 235–300 keV in the slot region (2 < L < 3) between the radiation belts in the period of November 1, 2014 through December 8, 2014 during weak and moderate geomagnetic disturbances (Kp < 4, Dst >–60 nT) are analyzed based on the data of the RELEC complex on board the Vernov satellite (the height and inclination of the orbit are from 640 to 830 km and 98.4°, respectively). Irregular increases in the fluxes of such electrons and formation of a local maximum at L ~ 2.2–3.0 were observed. It has been shown that the intensity of this maximum is inversely proportional to the L value and grows with an increase in the geomagnetic activity level. New features discovered for the first time in the dynamics of radiation belt electrons manifest in the variations in the local structure and dynamics of fluxes of subrelativistic electrons in the slot region.     

Geocorona of Hot Plasma

This review deals with basic results of experimental and theoretical studies (numerical simulations included) of the distributions, composition, and dynamics of particles of a hot plasma in the geomagnetosphere. Attention is drawn mainly to the ring current and the plasma sheet of the magnetotail, which play a key role in physics of the magnetosphere. The integrity (unity) of the system outer radiation belt–ring current–near plasma sheet is substantiated (the concept of a hot plasma geocorona). From the viewpoint of this concept, the physical processes and theories are considered that were suggested in order to explain the structure and dynamics of the hot magnetosphere plasma. An emphasis is made on disputable issues and topical problems so far unsolved.     

Radial profile of pressure in a storm ring current as a function of D st

Using satellite data obtained near the equatorial plane during 12 magnetic storms with amplitudes from ?61 down to ?422 nT, the dependences of maximum in L-profile of pressure (L _m) of the ring current (RC) on the current value of D _st are constructed, and their analytical approximations are derived. It is established that function L _m(D _st ) is steeper on the phase of recovery than during the storm’s main phase. The form of the outer edge of experimental radial profiles of RC pressure is studied, and it is demonstrated to correspond to exponential growth of the total energy of RC particles on a given L shell with decreasing L. It is shown that during the storms’ main phase the ratio of plasma and magnetic field pressures at the RC maximum does not practically depend on the storm strength and L _m value. This fact reflects resistance of the Earth’s magnetic field to RC expansion, and testifies that during storms the possibilities of injection to small L are limited for RC particles. During the storms’ recovery phase this ratio quickly increases with increasing L _m, which reflects an increased fraction of plasma in the total pressure balance. It is demonstrated that function L _m(D _st ) is derived for the main phase of storms from the equations of drift motion of RC ions in electrical and magnetic fields, reflecting the dipole character of magnetic field and scale invariance of the pattern of particle convection near the RC maximum. For the recovery phase it is obtained from the Dessler-Parker-Sckopke relationship. The obtained regularities allow one to judge about the radial profile of RC pressure from ground-based magnetic measurements (data on the D _st variation).     

Methods of Separating an Adiabatic Component in Storm-Associated Flux Variations of the Ion Ring Current

On the basis of an invariant representation of ion spectra with > 0.1 keV/nT, new methods of separation and quantitative analysis of the adiabatic component of storm-associated variations of fluxes of ions in the geomagnetic trap from the satellite data are developed. The regularities of adiabatic variations of flux ratios for different ion components, associated with their spectra scaling laws, are considered.     

Optimization of measurements of the Earth’s radiation belt particle fluxes

The Earth’s radiation belts discovered at the end of the 1950s have great scientific and practical interest. Their main characteristics in magnetically quiet periods are well known. However, the dynamics of the Earth’s radiation belts during magnetic storms and substorms, particularly the dynamics of relativistic electrons of the outer belt, when Earth’s radiation belt particle fluxes undergo significant time variations, is studied insufficiently. At present, principally new experiments have been performed and planned with the intention to better study the dynamics of the Earth’s radiation belts and to operationally control the space-energy distributions of the Earth’s radiation belt particle fluxes. In this paper, for spacecraft designed to measure the fluxes of electrons and protons of the Earth’s radiation belts at altitudes of 0.5–10000 km, the optimal versions for detector orientation and orbital parameters have been considered and selected.     

Energy dependence of the fraction of protons of ionospheric origin in the ring current

The energy dependence of a fraction of ring current protons of ionospheric origin is calculated using the AMPTE/CCE data for a typical strong magnetic storm (max|D _st | ≈ 120 nT). It is shown that this fraction monotonically decreases from ～ 83 to 25–30% with an increase in proton energy from 5 to 315 keV at L = 6–7 (L is the McIlwain parameter) and is 30–40% at energy 40–50 keV corresponding to the maximum of proton energy density at L = 6–7. It is demonstrated that the core of the ring current (L = 3.7–4.7) was enriched by solar protons with E ≈ 10–200 keV during the active phase of the storm (the maximum effect is reached at E ≈ 20–50 keV).     

Experiment on the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Vernov</Emphasis> satellite: Transient energetic processes in the Earth’s atmosphere and magnetosphere. Part I: Description of the experiment

The program of physical studies on the Vernov satellite launched on July 8, 2014 into a polar (640 × 830 km) solar-synchronous orbit with an inclination of 98.4° is presented. We described the complex of scientific equipment on this satellite in detail, including multidirectional gamma-ray detectors, electron spectrometers, red and ultra-violet detectors, and wave probes. The experiment on the Vernov satellite is mainly aimed at a comprehensive study of the processes of generation of transient phenomena in the optical and gamma-ray ranges in the Earth’s atmosphere (such as high-altitude breakdown on runaway relativistic electrons), the study of the action on the atmosphere of electrons precipitated from the radiation belts, and low- and high-frequency electromagnetic waves of both space and atmospheric origin.     

Experiment on the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Vernov</Emphasis> satellite: Transient energetic processes in the Earth’s atmosphere and magnetosphere. Part II. First results

We present the first experimental results on the observation of optical transients, gamma-ray bursts, relativistic electrons, and electromagnetic waves obtained during the experiment with the RELEC complex of scientific equipment on the Vernov satellite.     

Diurnal variations of ion flux intensity on a synchronous orbit

The data from the synchronous-orbit satellites of the Gorizont series are used to study the dependences of the ion flux variation amplitudes in the synchronous altitude region (the diurnal behaviour) on particle energies and on the form and rigidity of the particle energy spectrum. The proton fluxes were measured in the energy range E 60–120 keV, and the [N,0]²⁺ and [C,N,0]⁴⁺ ion fluxes in the energy range E 60–70 keV/e.

The ratio of the diurnal variation amplitudes of the studied ions is shown to correspond to the similarity of their energy spectra in the E/Q representation. The magnetically-quiet time gradient of the distribution function F(μ,J,L) in the synchronous-orbit region is shown to be (∂F/∂L)=0 for the H⁺ and [N,0]²⁺ ions and (∂F/∂L) > 0 for the [C,N,0]⁴⁺ ions (at the values of μ corresponding to the examined energy ranges). During magnetically-disturbed periods the inner boundary of the (∂F/∂L)=0 region shifts to lower L and (∂ F/∂L) = O in the synchronous altitude region must be also for the [C,N,O]⁴⁺ ions.     

Modeling radiation conditions in orbits of projected system of small satellites for radiation monitoring

Calculated estimates are presented for the accumulated radiation doses behind the shields of various thicknesses in the orbits of projected at Skobeltsyn Institute of Nuclear Physics, Moscow State University system of small satellites for radiation monitoring. The results are analyzed and compared with the calculation data for other actively exploited near-Earth orbits.