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GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS, VOL. 31, L08809, doi:10.1029/2004GL020082, 2004

Stormtime observations of the flux of plasmaspheric ions to the dayside cusp/magnetopause

J. C. Foster

MIT Haystack Observatory, Westford, Massachusetts, USA


A. J. Coster

MIT Haystack Observatory, Westford, Massachusetts, USA


P. J. Erickson

MIT Haystack Observatory, Westford, Massachusetts, USA


F. J. Rich

Air Force Research Laboratory, Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts, USA


B. R. Sandel

Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA


Abstract

For the large geomagnetic disturbance on April 11, 2001, we combine data from the Millstone Hill radar, a network of GPS TEC receivers, and the DMSP F-12 and IMAGE satellites, to estimate the sunward flux of thermal plasma associated with erosion of the outer plasmasphere/ionosphere in the dusk sector. Direct radar observations of the E × B advection of SED plasma determine a flux of >10E26 ions/s to the noontime cusp at F-region heights. DMSP in situ observations provide a similar estimate. Assuming a dipolar magnetic field, we project our low-altitude observations into the outer plasmasphere, obtaining a total sunward flux of >10E27 ions/s. High-altitude IMAGE EUV observations of the plasmasphere drainage plume provides an estimate of 1.5 × 10E27 ions/s for the sunward flux. Such rates of sunward plasma transport are sufficient to deplete a 1-Re shell of the outer plasmasphere in ∼1 hour.

Received 25 March 2004; accepted 30 March 2004; published 23 April 2004.

Index Terms: 2730 Magnetospheric Physics: Magnetosphere—inner; 2740 Magnetospheric Physics: Magnetospheric configuration and dynamics; 2760 Magnetospheric Physics: Plasma convection; 2768 Magnetospheric Physics: Plasmasphere; 2788 Magnetospheric Physics: Storms and substorms.

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Citation: Foster, J. C., A. J. Coster, P. J. Erickson, F. J. Rich, and B. R. Sandel (2004), Stormtime observations of the flux of plasmaspheric ions to the dayside cusp/magnetopause, Geophys. Res. Lett., 31, L08809, doi:10.1029/2004GL020082.