Focusing on Size and Energy Dependence of Electron Microbursts From the Van Allen Radiation Belts

Blake, J. B.; Crew, A. B.; Driscoll, Stephanie C.; Klumpar, D. M.; Larsen, B.; Legere, Jason S.; Longworth, S.; Mosleh, Ehson; O’Brien, T. P.; Smith, S. S.; Springer, Larry; Widholm, M.

doi:10.1029/2012sw000869

Cited by 29 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…The FIREBIRD missions are composed of a pair of identically instrumented 1.5U CubeSats (15 × 10 × 10 cm) that are designed to measure electron precipitation in LEO (Klumpar et al, ; Spence et al, ). The second mission, termed FIREBIRD‐II, was launched on 31 January 2015.…”

Section: Spacecraft and Observationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Microburst Scale Size Derived From Multiple Bounces of a Microburst Simultaneously Observed With the FIREBIRD‐II CubeSats

Shumko

Sample

Johnson

et al. 2018

Geophysical Research Letters

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We present the observation of a spatially large microburst with multiple bounces made simultaneously by the Focused Investigation of Relativistic Electron Bursts: Intensity, Range, and Dynamics II (FIREBIRD‐II) CubeSats on 2 February 2015. This is the first observation of a microburst with a subsequent decay made by two coorbiting but spatially separated spacecraft. From these unique measurements, we place estimates on the lower bounds of the spatial scales as well as quantify the electron bounce periods. The microburst's lower bound latitudinal scale size was 29 ± 1 km and the longitudinal scale size was 51 ± 1 km in low Earth orbit. We mapped these scale sizes to the magnetic equator and found that the radial and azimuthal scale sizes were at least 500 ± 10 km and 530 ± 10 km, respectively. These lower bound equatorial scale sizes are similar to whistler mode chorus wave source scale sizes, which supports the hypothesis that microbursts are a product of electron scattering by chorus waves. Lastly, we estimated the bounce periods for 200‐ to 800‐keV electrons and found good agreement with four common magnetic field models.

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Section: Spacecraft and Observationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Microburst Scale Size Derived From Multiple Bounces of a Microburst Simultaneously Observed With the FIREBIRD‐II CubeSats

Shumko

Sample

Johnson

et al. 2018

Geophysical Research Letters

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“…We also use electron measurements from the second Focused Investigations of Relativistic Electron Burst: Intensity, Range, and Dynamics (FIREBIRD II) CubeSat mission [Spence et al, 2012;Klumpar et al, 2015;Crew et al, 2016]. FIREBIRD II consists of two identical 1.5 U CubeSats, named Flight Units 3 and 4 (FU 3 and FU 4, respectively).…”

Section: Firebird II Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatial scale and duration of one microburst region on 13 August 2015

et al. 2017

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Prior studies of microburst precipitation have largely relied on estimates of the spatial scale and temporal duration of the microburst region in order to determine the radiation belt loss rate of relativistic electrons. These estimates have often relied on the statistical distribution of microburst events. However, few studies have directly observed the spatial and temporal evolution of a single microburst event. In this study, we combine Balloon Array for Radiation belt Relativistic Electron Losses balloon‐borne X‐ray measurements with Focused Investigations of Relativistic Electron Burst: Intensity, Range, and Dynamics II and AeroCube‐6 CubeSat electron measurements to determine the spatial and temporal evolution of a microburst region in the morning MLT sector on 13 August 2015. The microburst region is found to extend across at least 4 h in local time in the morning sector, from 09:00 to 13:00 MLT, and from L of 5 out to 10. The microburst event lasts for nearly 9 h. Smaller scale structure is investigated using the dual AeroCube‐6 CubeSats, and is found to be consistent with the spatial size of whistler mode chorus wave observations near the equatorial plane.

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“…Estimates of the physical size of individual microbursts are on the order of 10 km [ Blake et al , ; Dietrich et al , ], while the process generating the bursts likely spans a significantly larger area [ Lorentzen et al , ; Dietrich et al , ]. Microbursts are often measured in groups or clumps (see Figure a), but the spatial and temporal extents of these regions of microburst activity are still uncertain [ Spence et al , ].…”

Section: Samepx/hilt Observationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics 10.1002/2014JA020633 [Lorentzen et al, 2001;Dietrich et al, 2010]. Microbursts are often measured in groups or clumps (see Figure 2a), but the spatial and temporal extents of these regions of microburst activity are still uncertain [Spence et al, 2012].…”

Section: Microburstsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rapid MeV electron precipitation as observed by SAMPEX/HILT during high‐speed stream‐driven storms

2015

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A number of relativistic electron loss processes exist in the inner magnetosphere, and the extent to which MeV electron precipitation into Earth's atmosphere plays a role in radiation belt dynamics is a topic of much debate. In this work, we investigate the contribution of electron precipitation to radiation belt losses, looking at what times and locations precipitation is important. Through high-cadence low-altitude measurements from the Solar, Anomalous, and Magnetospheric Particle Explorer (SAMPEX) satellite, we examine the distributions of millisecond (microburst) as well as longer-duration (band-type) precipitation and the relative contributions of these two precipitation types to radiation belt dynamics during high-speed stream (HSS)-driven storms. Different local time and radial distributions between microbursts and precipitation bands suggest different scattering mechanisms as the causes of the two precipitation types. In a superposed epoch study of 42 HSS-driven storms, enhanced main and recovery phase losses to the atmosphere are observed. Microburst occurrence rates peak in the recovery phase of the storms, while their magnitudes remain fairly constant over storm phase. Precipitation bands show an increase in both occurrence and magnitude at storm onset, particularly at the inner edge of the outer radiation belt. The observations, enabled by the high time resolution and large geometric factor and field of view of the SAMPEX/Heavy Ion Large Telescope (HILT) instrument, reveal when and where microburst and band-type precipitation are contributing to radiation belt dynamics during HSS-driven storms.

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Focusing on Size and Energy Dependence of Electron Microbursts From the Van Allen Radiation Belts

Cited by 29 publications

References 6 publications

Microburst Scale Size Derived From Multiple Bounces of a Microburst Simultaneously Observed With the FIREBIRD‐II CubeSats

Microburst Scale Size Derived From Multiple Bounces of a Microburst Simultaneously Observed With the FIREBIRD‐II CubeSats

Spatial scale and duration of one microburst region on 13 August 2015

Rapid MeV electron precipitation as observed by SAMPEX/HILT during high‐speed stream‐driven storms

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