Energetic Particle Losses from the Inner Magnetosphere

Abstract

The inner magnetosphere displays many interesting phenomena involving magnetospheric storm dynamics and balancing between particle source and loss processes. In this article the recent progress in two particular loss phenomena are reviewed, namely the relative role of convective and charge exchange losses of energetic ring current ions and the loss of relativistic outer radiation belt electrons. Both are highly relevant for understanding of magnetospheric storms. The former is directly related to the determination of the storm intensity and the latter to the processes through which the storms control the appearance of relativistic electrons that are among the most serious sources of anomalous behavior of satellite electronics. While significant progress has been achieved in modeling and theoretical studies of both the ring current ions and relativistic electrons, this part of magnetospheric physics is suffering of inadequate observational basis. A well-equipped fleet of inner magnetosphere spacecraft observing plasmaspheric composition, ring current and radiation belt particles, and electromagnetic fields including the most critical wave modes is urgently needed to give a more sound empirical foundation for our studies of the inner magnetosphere and to constrain the rapidly evolving theoretical and numerical models.