Date of Award
Spring 3-26-2013
Author's School
College of Arts & Sciences
Author's Department/Program
Physics
Abstract
The rate of electron wave‐particle scattering in the near‐Earth magnetosphere is investigated using multiple simulations of solar storms from solar cycle 23 (1996‐2005). Simulations are created using the Hot Electron and Ion Drift Integrator (HEIDI) model, which analyzes the drifts of keV‐energy electrons through the inner magnetosphere and identifies the precipitation of these particles into the upper atmosphere. The loss lifetime formulation used by HEIDI, which represents the rate at which the keV‐energy of the electrons is extinguished, predicts unreasonably large loss lifetimes deep in the inner magnetosphere. This discrepancy between the values used by the HEIDI model and those observed by satellite measurement can in part be resolved as a result of this work, which provides evidence for more reasonable loss lifetimes for particles in the inner magnetosphere. This study and future work can be used to improve data‐model comparisons of solar storms.
Language
English (en)
Advisor/Committee Chair
Dr. Michael Liemohn
Advisor/Committee Chair's Department
Atmospheric, Oceanic and Space Sciences (University of Michigan)
Second Advisor
Dr. Martin Israel
Second Advisor's Department
Physics
Recommended Citation
Blears, John, "Determination of Average Loss Lifetimes for Near‐Earth Electrons in Solar Storms" (2013). Undergraduate Theses—Unrestricted. 5.
https://openscholarship.wustl.edu/undergrad_open/5