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Energetic electron flux distribution model in the inner and middle magnetosphere

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Abstract

Based on the magnetospheric kinetic theory, a model is developed to specify the flux of energetic electrons in the inner and middle magnetosphere. Under the assumption of adiabatic motion and isotropic particle distribution maintained by pitch-angle scattering, the model calculates the electron flux by following bounce-averaged electric field, gradient, and curvature drift in the time dependent electric and magnetic field, meanwhile it counts the electron loss caused by pitch angle scattering. Using the model, the electron flux distribution during a magnetic storm was calculated and compared with the observation data from the geosynchronous orbit. It is shown that the model can successfully reproduce most of the major electron flux enhancements observed at the geosynchronous orbit and generally tracks the satellite data well. The rms errors of the modeled logarithm of flux are between 0.5–1.0.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory for Space Weather, Center for Space Science and Applied Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China

    Lei Li & YongYong Feng

  2. Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China

    YongYong Feng

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  1. Lei Li
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  2. YongYong Feng
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Correspondence to YongYong Feng.

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Li, L., Feng, Y. Energetic electron flux distribution model in the inner and middle magnetosphere. Sci. China Technol. Sci. 54, 441–446 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11431-010-4234-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11431-010-4234-7

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