Exceptional middle latitude electron precipitation detected by balloon observations: implications for atmospheric composition

Mironova, Irina; Sinnhuber, Miriam; Bazilevskaya, G. A.; Clilverd, Mark A.; Funke, B.; Махмутов, В. С.; Rozanov, Eugene; Santee, M. L.; Sukhodolov, Timofei; Ulich, Thomas

doi:10.5194/acp-22-6703-2022

Cited by 9 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 56 publications

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“…(2016) was applied in Mironova et al. (2019a, 2019b, 2022). These calculations yielded electron fluxes at energies below hundreds of keV, which were consistent with the results of measurements on the POES satellites (Bazilevskaya et al., 2021), however, electron fluxes with energies above hundreds of keV were often underestimated by several orders of magnitude.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the region of tens of keV, it can be described by the Maxwell distribution; at higher energies, the spectrum has an exponential or a power-law shape (Clilverd et al, 2008;Millan et al, 2013;Whittaker et al, 2013). The exponential shape of the energy spectrum of precipitating electrons as it was implemented in Makhmutov et al (2016) was applied in Mironova et al (2019aMironova et al ( , 2019bMironova et al ( , 2022. These calculations yielded electron fluxes at energies below hundreds of keV, which were consistent with the results of measurements on the POES satellites (Bazilevskaya et al, 2021), however, electron fluxes with energies above hundreds of keV were often underestimated by several orders of magnitude.…”

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confidence: 99%

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Estimation of Energy Spectrum of Precipitating Magnetospheric Electrons Based on Bremsstrahlung X‐Ray Fluxes Recorded in the Atmosphere

Makhmutov,

Maurchev,

Bazilevskaya

et al. 2023

JGR Space Physics

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Numerous energetic electron precipitation events were recorded since 1963 in the atmosphere at polar latitudes in the course of regular measurements of charged particle fluxes in the Earth's atmosphere being performed by the Lebedev Physical Institute. The experimental data obtained represent the only uniform database in the world on electron precipitation events recorded directly in the atmosphere well below satellite orbits. The precipitating electrons are absorbed in the upper atmosphere. However, they generate X‐rays that can penetrate deep into the atmosphere sometimes down to altitudes of 20–35 km accessible to balloon measurements. These experimental data allow studying energy, temporal and spatial characteristics of electron precipitation events. In particular, based on PLANETOCOSMICS/GEANT4 we developed a method for evaluating the energy spectra of the primary flux of precipitating electrons. This method was used for evaluation of primary spectra of precipitating electrons assuming exponential energy distribution of incident electrons. Now, for the development of the method, we present the possibility of determining the energy spectra of electrons in the power‐law form, using new software RUSCOSMICS code. This new method, based on the GEANT4 software, makes it possible to describe the transport of precipitating electrons in the atmosphere taking into account the evolution of the energy and pitch‐angle distributions of electrons and X‐ray photons.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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confidence: 99%

Estimation of Energy Spectrum of Precipitating Magnetospheric Electrons Based on Bremsstrahlung X‐Ray Fluxes Recorded in the Atmosphere

Makhmutov,

Maurchev,

Bazilevskaya

et al. 2023

JGR Space Physics

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“…HO x production by energetic electron precipitation (EEP) occurs only below about 90 km altitude where enough water vapor is available and NO x production by auroral electrons and energetic electrons accelerates mostly about 110-100 km altitude [4,7]. Finally energetic electron precipitation via production of ion pairs impacts middle atmosphere chemistry, dynamics and leads to ozone depletion, e.g., [1,4,[8][9][10][11][12].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Ozone depletion in the polar mesosphere about 60-80 km is a reason by enhanced HO x and NO x concentrations that involves known catalytical ozone destruction cycles, e.g., [9,10,12,13]. The maximum ozone depletion in the polar mesosphere is the most pronounced at altitudes about 79 km and can exceed up to 90% for days, e.g., [10,11]. Such ozone depletion under EEP is comparable to the ozone destruction after one of the most powerful solar energetic particle (SEP) event of January 2005 [14].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mesospheric Ozone Depletion Depending on Different Levels of Geomagnetic Disturbances and Seasons

2023

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Energetic electron precipitation (EEP) into the atmosphere are considered to play an important role in the natural forcing of the ozone variability and dynamics of the middle atmosphere during magnetospheric and geomagnetic disturbances. Energetic electrons from the radiation belt spill out into the atmosphere during geomagnetic disturbances and cause additional ionization rates in the polar middle atmosphere. These rates of induced atmospheric ionization lead to the formation of radicals in ion-molecular reactions at the heights of the mesosphere with the formation of reactive compounds of odd nitrogen groups NOy and odd hydrogen groups HOx. These compounds are involved in catalytic reactions that destroy ozone. The percentage of ozone destruction can depend not only intensity of EEP but also on season where it happens. In this work, we study mesospheric ozone depletion depending on seasons and precipitating energetic electrons with energies from keV up to relativistic energies about 1 MeV, based on the NOAA POES satellites observations in 2003. For estimation ozone deplation we use a one-dimensional radiative-convective model with ion chemistry. As one of the main results, we show that, despite the intensity of EEP-induced ionization rates, polar mesospheric ozone cannot be destroyed by EEP in summer in the presence of UV radiation. In winter time, the maximum ozone depletion, at altitude of about 80 km, can reach up to 80% during strong geomagnetic disturbances. In fall and spring, the maximum ozone depletion is less intense and can reach 20% during strong geomagnetic disturbances. Linear relation of EEP induced maximum mesospheric ozone depletion depending on geomagnetic disturbances and seasons have been obtained.

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“…Ionization rates play a key role in production of reactive odd nitrogen (NO x ) [6] and odd hydrogen (HO x ) [7] in the atmosphere. Finally, EEP via production of ion pairs impacts middle atmosphere chemistry and dynamics and leads to ozone depletion [8][9][10][11][12][13]. To better understand this relationship, it is important to have realistic observations to properly characterize energetic electron precipitation [14] and atmospheric ionization rates [15,16], which are incorporated into chemistry-climate models.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Energetic Electron Precipitation via Satellite and Balloon Observations: Their Role in Atmospheric Ionization

et al. 2023

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Information about the energetic electron precipitation (EEP) from the radiation belt into the atmosphere is important for assessing the ozone variability and dynamics of the middle atmosphere during magnetospheric and geomagnetic disturbances. The accurate values of energetic electron fluxes depending on their energy range are one of the most important problems for calculating atmospheric ionization rates, which, in turn, are taken into account for estimating ozone depletion in chemistry–climate models. Despite the importance of these processes for the high latitudes of middle atmosphere, precipitation of energetic electrons is still insufficiently studied. In order to better understand EEP and related processes in the atmosphere, it is important to have many realistic observations of EEP in order to correctly characterize their spectra. Invading the atmosphere, precipitating energetic electrons, in the range from tens of keV to relativistic energies of more than 1 MeV, generate bremsstrahlung, which penetrates into the stratosphere and is recorded by detectors on balloons. However, these observations can be made only when the balloon is at stratospheric heights. Near-Earth satellites, such as the polar-orbiting operational environmental satellites (POES), are constantly registering precipitating electrons in the loss cone, but are moving too fast in space. Based on a comparison of the results of EEP measurements on balloons and onboard POES satellites in 2003, we propose a criterion that makes it possible to constantly monitor EEP ionization at stratospheric heights using observations on POES satellites.

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Exceptional middle latitude electron precipitation detected by balloon observations: implications for atmospheric composition

Cited by 9 publications

References 56 publications

Estimation of Energy Spectrum of Precipitating Magnetospheric Electrons Based on Bremsstrahlung X‐Ray Fluxes Recorded in the Atmosphere

Estimation of Energy Spectrum of Precipitating Magnetospheric Electrons Based on Bremsstrahlung X‐Ray Fluxes Recorded in the Atmosphere

Mesospheric Ozone Depletion Depending on Different Levels of Geomagnetic Disturbances and Seasons

Energetic Electron Precipitation via Satellite and Balloon Observations: Their Role in Atmospheric Ionization

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