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Evolution and Energization of Energetic Electrons in the Inner Magnetosphere

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The Cluster Active Archive

Part of the book series: Astrophysics and Space Science Proceedings ((ASSSP))

Abstract

In this paper we present a review of what we know about the evolution and energization of energetic electrons in the inner magnetosphere. We emphasize what we have learned since the review by Friedel et al. [17] that discussed in detail the possible acceleration mechanisms for these electrons. The primary result has been a greater focus on local acceleration processes with significant new evidence that points to processes that are acting in the region between GPS and geosynchronous altitudes. In addition to reviewing the most recent results we also use as an example the magnetosphere’s energetic electron responses to a series of storms that occurred in the July 16–25, 2004 period. The storms had gradually increasing magnitude, in terms of their minimum DST of − 80, − 101, − 148, and − 197 nT. We followed the penetration and enhancements of the electrons as a function of L value using the HEO3 observations. We found that the two smallest storms did not cause relativistic electron enhancements for L < 6. 5 but did cause enhancements in the electron “source” populations at > 130 and > 230 keV down to L ∼3. 0. The two largest events cause electron enhancements at all energies from > 130 keV to > 3 MeV down to L ∼2. 5. We found that the Cluster IES observations of the source populations in the pre midnight plasma sheet were quite intense with strong field aligned distributions during the early main phase of the storm on July 24. The combined results indicate that these early main phase electron fluxes at Cluster may be directly linked to the rapid response of electrons at low L observed by HEO3 and could have been the source for the < 1 MeV fluxes observed there.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge their many colleagues at The Aerospace Corporation that have supported their efforts, provided references, and participated in discussions on the topic of energetic electron sources and process in the magnetosphere. This work was supported by grants GC189637NGA from Boston University, 64361 from University of Colorado, and by The Aerospace Corporation’s Mission Oriented Investigation and Experimentation program.

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  1. The Aerospace Corporation, 92957, Los Angeles, CA, 90009, USA

    J. F. Fennell & J. L. Roeder

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  1. J. F. Fennell
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Correspondence to J. F. Fennell .

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  1. European Space Research &, European Space Agency, Keplerlaan 1, Noordwijk, 2200 AG, Netherlands

    Harri Laakso

  2. ESTEC/SRE-S, European Space Agency, Noordwijk, 2200 AG, Netherlands

    Matthew Taylor

  3. ESTEC/SRE-S, European Space Agency, Noordwijk, 2200 AG, Netherlands

    C. Philippe Escoubet

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Fennell, J.F., Roeder, J.L. (2010). Evolution and Energization of Energetic Electrons in the Inner Magnetosphere. In: Laakso, H., Taylor, M., Escoubet, C. (eds) The Cluster Active Archive. Astrophysics and Space Science Proceedings. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-3499-1_34

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