TY - JOUR

T1 - Low altitude image of particle acceleration and magnetospheric reconfiguration at substorm onset

AU - Sergeev, V.A.

AU - Kubyshkina, M.V.

PY - 1996

Y1 - 1996

N2 - We compare meridional distributions of auroral (0.3-20 keV) and energetic (30-300 keV) particle fluxes measured by two low-altitude polar-orbiting spacecraft which crossed the auroral oval before and shortly after the sudden substorm onset. 3-4 min after the substorm onset a very strong particle energization was observed with the particle flux increased by a factor 100-1000 at energies up to >300 keV. It was found in the middle of auroral oval, poleward of the isotropic boundary of energetic electrons detected prior to the substorm onset. Interpreting the variations of Energetic Particle (EP) flux and anisotropy (ratio of precipitated to trapped particle flux) in terms of particle scattering in the equatorial current sheet, we were able to characterize the configuration of equatorial magnetotail. The major acceleration/precipitation region in the center of auroral zone was inferred to be confined in the region of dipolarized magnetic field in the magnetotail. Further poleward (tailward in the magnetotail) the

AB - We compare meridional distributions of auroral (0.3-20 keV) and energetic (30-300 keV) particle fluxes measured by two low-altitude polar-orbiting spacecraft which crossed the auroral oval before and shortly after the sudden substorm onset. 3-4 min after the substorm onset a very strong particle energization was observed with the particle flux increased by a factor 100-1000 at energies up to >300 keV. It was found in the middle of auroral oval, poleward of the isotropic boundary of energetic electrons detected prior to the substorm onset. Interpreting the variations of Energetic Particle (EP) flux and anisotropy (ratio of precipitated to trapped particle flux) in terms of particle scattering in the equatorial current sheet, we were able to characterize the configuration of equatorial magnetotail. The major acceleration/precipitation region in the center of auroral zone was inferred to be confined in the region of dipolarized magnetic field in the magnetotail. Further poleward (tailward in the magnetotail) the

M3 - статья

VL - 48

SP - 877

EP - 885

JO - Earth, Planets and Space

JF - Earth, Planets and Space

SN - 1343-8832

ER -