Abstract
Abstract. A qualitative study is performed on plasma transport modelling in the inner magnetosphere, revealing the significance of a model use choice and its parameterization. First, we examine particle transport using comparative analysis of both magnetic and electric field models. This work reveals that the electric field plays an important role in understanding particle dynamics and the models lead to various results in terms of plasma source, energy and particle trajectory. We then concentrate particularly on proton loss assessment considering the charge exchange phenomenon. For that, models are needed to provide a neutral hydrogen density estimation. So, exospheric models were tested in light of the Dynamics Explorer 1 measurements analysed by Rairden.
Highlights
The E × B drift is responsible for the transport of particles earthward from the plasma sheet to the inner magnetosphere and for their energization as they move to stronger magnetic field regions while conserving their first adiabatic invariant
There are several distinct components to consider when modelling plasma transport in the inner magnetosphere: source distribution in plasma sheet, magnetic and electric field models for particle transport, exospheric model for proton losses, etc. . . . As an inappropriate model utilization can lead to a wrong scientific analysis, the Correspondence to: D
Exospheric model switch does not have so much influence, since differences from a model to another are small in the inner magnetosphere where most of the charge exchange interactions happen: we can only notice an intensification of the losses in the 06:00–12:00 LT sector with the MSIS86 model, which is consistent with the previous observations as this model overestimates hydrogen density over an altitude of 1 RE compared to the exospheric H model from Hodges
Summary
Modern physical electric field models for the inner magnetosphere use a kinetic approach. Among these models, we can find the Rice Convection Model (Harel et al, 1981) that considers the particles like multiple fluids, includes the coupling to the ionosphere and describes adiabatically drifting isotropic particle distributions with a specified magnetic field and a self-consistently computed electric field. Calculations made by Tsyganenko and Mukai (2003) allow us to be aware of the fact that proton plasma sheet density and temperature are not homogeneous at 10 RE on the nightside along a width of 20 RE in the equatorial plane, when the magnetic activity corresponds to a Dst index lower than −20 nT. We carry out a qualitative comparative study of magnetic field, electric field and exospheric models in order to know which differences we get when we choose a model instead of another
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
