Thermal Electron Heat Fluxes Associated With Precipitated Auroral Electrons During the Saint Patrick's Days 2013 and 2015 Geomagnetic Storms. Issue 2 (20th February 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Khazanov, George V.; Chen, Margaret W.; Mishin, Evgeny V.; Chu, Mike
• Is Part Of: Journal of geophysical research. Volume 128:Issue 2(2023)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2023-02-20
• Subjects: thermal electron heat fluxes during geomagnetic storms -- magnetosphere‐ionosphere‐atmosphere coupling; Magnetospheric physics -- Periodicals; Space environment -- Periodicals; Cosmic physics -- Periodicals; Planets -- Atmospheres -- Periodicals; Heliosphere (Astrophysics) -- Periodicals; Geophysics -- Periodicals; 523.01
• DOI: 10.1029/2022JA031197
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2169-9380

Abstract

Abstract: The Rice Convection Model‐Equilibrium (RCM‐E) and SuperThermal Electron Transport (STET) are combined to investigate electron heat flux formation in the region of the diffuse aurora for the geomagnetic storms of 17 March 2013 and 17 March 2015. The primary electron precipitation into the atmosphere resulting from wave particle scattering in the magnetosphere are simulated by the magnetically and electrically RCM‐E during these two geomagnetic storms. The primary precipitating electron fluxes are modified by the STET model by taking into account atmospheric backscatter processes. The modified electron energy fluxes and their mean energies are coupled to the STET code to calculate electron thermal fluxes associated with diffuse aurora on a global scale. We use the simulated heat flux to estimate electron temperatures at the upper ionospheric altitudes and compare them with corresponding observations from the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program satellite. Key Points: Electron heat flux formation in diffuse aurora associated with electron precipitation events Simulated electron thermal fluxes during the St. Patrick's 2013 and 2015 storms Thermal electron heat flux validation using Defense Meteorological Satellite Program observations