Processes in auroral oval and outer electron radiation belt

Area of Science:

• Space Physics
• Plasma Physics
• Geophysics

Background:

• The formation of Earth's outer radiation belt is complex and often linked to the plasma sheet.
• The auroral oval's mapping to the outer ring current, not the plasma sheet, offers an alternative perspective.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the role of auroral processes in outer radiation belt formation.
• To investigate the specific impact of magnetospheric substorms on relativistic electron appearance.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of auroral processes and their mapping within the magnetosphere.
• Examination of magnetospheric substorm activity during geomagnetic storm recovery phases.
• Experimental evidence collection related to radiation belt dynamics.

Main Results:

• The auroral oval primarily maps to the outer ring current, challenging the plasma sheet hypothesis.
• Magnetospheric substorms during geomagnetic storm recovery are critical for new outer radiation belt formation.
• Adiabatic acceleration during storm recovery can increase relativistic electron energies significantly.

Conclusions:

• Auroral processes, particularly substorms, play a vital role in outer radiation belt dynamics.
• The outer ring current is a key region for understanding these processes.
• Adiabatic acceleration is a plausible mechanism for energizing relativistic electrons in the outer radiation belt.