MHD‐Test Particles Simulations of Moderate CME and CIR‐Driven Geomagnetic Storms at Solar Minimum

Abstract As part of the Whole Heliosphere and Planetary Interactions initiative, contrasting drivers of radiation belt electron response at solar minimum have been investigated with MHD‐test particle simulations for the May 13–14, 2019 Coronal Mass Ejection (CME)‐shock event and the August 30–Septem...

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Main Authors: Mary K. Hudson, Scot R. Elkington, Zhao Li, Maulik Patel, Kevin Pham, Kareem Sorathia, Alex Boyd, Allison Jaynes, Alexis Leali
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2021-12-01
Series:Space Weather
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1029/2021SW002882
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author Mary K. Hudson
Scot R. Elkington
Zhao Li
Maulik Patel
Kevin Pham
Kareem Sorathia
Alex Boyd
Allison Jaynes
Alexis Leali
author_facet Mary K. Hudson
Scot R. Elkington
Zhao Li
Maulik Patel
Kevin Pham
Kareem Sorathia
Alex Boyd
Allison Jaynes
Alexis Leali
author_sort Mary K. Hudson
collection DOAJ
description Abstract As part of the Whole Heliosphere and Planetary Interactions initiative, contrasting drivers of radiation belt electron response at solar minimum have been investigated with MHD‐test particle simulations for the May 13–14, 2019 Coronal Mass Ejection (CME)‐shock event and the August 30–September 3, 2019 high speed solar wind interval. Both solar wind drivers produced moderate geomagnetic storms characterized by a minimum Dst = −65 nT and −52 nT, respectively, with the August ‐ September event accompanied by prolonged substorm activity. The latter, with characteristic features of a Corotating Interaction Region (CIR)‐driven storm, produced the hardest relativistic electron spectrum observed by Van Allen Probes during the last two years of the mission, ending in October 2019. MHD simulations were performed using both the Lyon‐Fedder‐Mobarry global MHD code and recently developed GAMERA model coupled to the Rice Convection Model, run with measured L1 solar wind input for both events studied, and coupled with test particle simulations, including an initial trapped and injected population. Initial electron Phase Space Density (PSD) profiles used measurements from the Relativistic Electron Proton Telescope and MagEIS energetic particle instruments on Van Allen Probes for test particle weighting and updating of the injected population at apogee. Results were compared directly with measurements and found to reproduce magnetopause loss for the CME‐shock event and increased PSD for the CIR event. The two classes of events are contrasted for their impact on outer zone relativistic electrons near the end of Solar Cycle 24.
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spelling doaj-art-507b9a4b971e44bb8f813de5385adfd92025-01-14T16:27:22ZengWileySpace Weather1542-73902021-12-011912n/an/a10.1029/2021SW002882MHD‐Test Particles Simulations of Moderate CME and CIR‐Driven Geomagnetic Storms at Solar MinimumMary K. Hudson0Scot R. Elkington1Zhao Li2Maulik Patel3Kevin Pham4Kareem Sorathia5Alex Boyd6Allison Jaynes7Alexis Leali8Physics and Astronomy Department Dartmouth College Hanover NH USALaboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics University of Colorado Boulder Boulder CO USAPhysics and Astronomy Department Dartmouth College Hanover NH USAPhysics and Astronomy Department Dartmouth College Hanover NH USANCAR High Altitude Observatory Boulder CO USAJohns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory Laurel MD USASpace Sciences Department The Aerospace Corporation Chantilly VA USADepartment of Physics & Astronomy University of Iowa Iowa City IA USADepartment of Physics & Astronomy University of Iowa Iowa City IA USAAbstract As part of the Whole Heliosphere and Planetary Interactions initiative, contrasting drivers of radiation belt electron response at solar minimum have been investigated with MHD‐test particle simulations for the May 13–14, 2019 Coronal Mass Ejection (CME)‐shock event and the August 30–September 3, 2019 high speed solar wind interval. Both solar wind drivers produced moderate geomagnetic storms characterized by a minimum Dst = −65 nT and −52 nT, respectively, with the August ‐ September event accompanied by prolonged substorm activity. The latter, with characteristic features of a Corotating Interaction Region (CIR)‐driven storm, produced the hardest relativistic electron spectrum observed by Van Allen Probes during the last two years of the mission, ending in October 2019. MHD simulations were performed using both the Lyon‐Fedder‐Mobarry global MHD code and recently developed GAMERA model coupled to the Rice Convection Model, run with measured L1 solar wind input for both events studied, and coupled with test particle simulations, including an initial trapped and injected population. Initial electron Phase Space Density (PSD) profiles used measurements from the Relativistic Electron Proton Telescope and MagEIS energetic particle instruments on Van Allen Probes for test particle weighting and updating of the injected population at apogee. Results were compared directly with measurements and found to reproduce magnetopause loss for the CME‐shock event and increased PSD for the CIR event. The two classes of events are contrasted for their impact on outer zone relativistic electrons near the end of Solar Cycle 24.https://doi.org/10.1029/2021SW002882
spellingShingle Mary K. Hudson
Scot R. Elkington
Zhao Li
Maulik Patel
Kevin Pham
Kareem Sorathia
Alex Boyd
Allison Jaynes
Alexis Leali
MHD‐Test Particles Simulations of Moderate CME and CIR‐Driven Geomagnetic Storms at Solar Minimum
Space Weather
title MHD‐Test Particles Simulations of Moderate CME and CIR‐Driven Geomagnetic Storms at Solar Minimum
title_full MHD‐Test Particles Simulations of Moderate CME and CIR‐Driven Geomagnetic Storms at Solar Minimum
title_fullStr MHD‐Test Particles Simulations of Moderate CME and CIR‐Driven Geomagnetic Storms at Solar Minimum
title_full_unstemmed MHD‐Test Particles Simulations of Moderate CME and CIR‐Driven Geomagnetic Storms at Solar Minimum
title_short MHD‐Test Particles Simulations of Moderate CME and CIR‐Driven Geomagnetic Storms at Solar Minimum
title_sort mhd test particles simulations of moderate cme and cir driven geomagnetic storms at solar minimum
url https://doi.org/10.1029/2021SW002882
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