Plasma sheet access to geosynchronous orbit: Generalization to numerical global field models

A previous statistical analysis of the geosynchronous particle environment by Korth et al. [1999] showed that the particle fluxes are well organized by local time and the geomagnetic activity as measured by the Kp index. Regions of high and low fluxes at geosynchronous orbit are separated from each other by distinct boundaries, approximately matching the Alfven boundary crossings of the geosynchronous satellites calculated analytically from a Volland-Stern electric potential and a dipole magnetic field. Expanding the analysis technique from the previous work to arbitrary, numerical electric and magnetic field models, we reevaluate the Alfven boundary crossings using several available global electric potential models and considering external magnetic field contributions. The more sophisticated numerical models do not do a better job of explaining the observed average access of plasma sheet material to the geosynchronous region than does the simple analytical model.

[1]  D. Larson,et al.  Testing electric and magnetic field models of the storm‐time inner magnetosphere , 2000 .

[2]  G. Ginet,et al.  A magnetospheric specification model validation study: Geosynchronous electrons , 2000 .

[3]  K. Glassmeier,et al.  On the location of trapped particle populations in quadrupole magnetospheres , 2000 .

[4]  Wolfgang Baumjohann,et al.  EDI convection measurements at 5–6 RE in the post-midnight region , 1999 .

[5]  J. Borovsky,et al.  Plasma sheet access to geosynchronous orbit , 1999 .

[6]  P. Toivanen.  Effects of the large‐scale electric field on particle drifts in the near‐Earth tail , 1997 .

[7]  D. Weimer,et al.  A flexible, IMF dependent model of high-latitude electric potentials having “Space Weather” applications , 1996 .

[8]  D. Weimer,et al.  Models of high‐latitude electric potentials derived with a least error fit of spherical harmonic coefficients , 1995 .

[9]  R. Lundin,et al.  Particle Tracing in the Magnetosphere: New Algorithms and Results (Paper 93GL00835) 767 , 1993 .

[10]  Ramon Lopez,et al.  Particle scattering and current sheet stability in the geomagnetic tail during the substorm growth phase , 1992 .

[11]  N. Maynard,et al.  Consequences of using simple analytical functions for the high-latitude convection electric field , 1989 .

[12]  N. Maynard,et al.  Empirical high‐latitude electric field models , 1987 .

[13]  C. E. Rasmussen,et al.  An Interplanetary Magnetic Field Dependent Model of the Ionospheric Convection Electric Field , 1986 .

[14]  M. Gussenhoven,et al.  Systematics of the equatorward diffuse auroral boundary , 1983 .

[15]  W. J. Burke,et al.  DMSP/F2 electron observations of equatorward auroral boundaries and their relationship to magnetospheric electric fields , 1981 .

[16]  H. Volland.  A model of the magnetospheric electric convection field , 1978 .

[17]  A. J. Chen,et al.  Isolated cold plasma regions - Observations and their relation to possible production mechanisms , 1975 .

[18]  D. Stern.  The motion of a proton in the equatorial magnetosphere , 1975 .

[19]  Paul J. Coleman,et al.  Quiet day magnetic field at ATS 1 , 1971 .

[20]  Juan G. Roederer,et al.  Dynamics of Geomagnetically Trapped Radiation , 1970 .

[21]  C. Russell,et al.  Identification of magnetospheric particles that travel between spacecraft and their use to help obtain magnetospheric potential distributions , 1998 .

[22]  D. Ober,et al.  Formation of density troughs embedded in the outer plasmasphere by subauroral ion drift events , 1997 .

[23]  N. Tsyganenko.  A magnetospheric magnetic field model with a warped tail current sheet , 1989 .

[24]  C. Mcilwain.  A Kp dependent equatorial electric field model , 1986 .

[25]  H. Volland.  A semiempirical model of large‐scale magnetospheric electric fields , 1973 .

[26]  C. Mcilwain.  Plasma Convection in the Vicinity of the Geosynchronous Orbit , 1972 .

[27]  M. Schield,et al.  A source for field‐aligned currents at auroral latitudes , 1969 .