Solar wind drivers of energetic electron precipitation

Abstract

AbstractDisturbances of near‐Earth space are predominantly driven by coronal mass ejections (CMEs) mostly originating from sunspots and high‐speed solar wind streams (HSSs) emanating from coronal holes. Here we study the relative importance of CMEs and HSSs as well as slow solar wind in producing energetic electron precipitation. We use the recently corrected energetic electron measurements from the Medium Energy Proton Electron Detector instrument on board low‐altitude NOAA/Polar Orbiting Environmental Satellites from 1979 to 2013. Using solar wind observations categorized into three different flow types, we study the contributions of these flows to annual electron precipitation and their efficiencies in producing precipitation. We find that HSS contribution nearly always dominates over the other flows and peaks strongly in the declining solar cycle phase. CME contribution mostly follows the sunspot cycle but is enhanced also in the declining phase. The efficiency of both HSS and CME peaks in the declining phase. We also study the dependence of electron precipitation on solar wind southward magnetic field component, speed, and density and find that the solar wind speed is the dominant factor affecting the precipitation. Since HSSs enhance the average solar wind speed in the declining phase, they also enhance the efficiency of CMEs during these times and thus have a double effect in enhancing energetic electron precipitation.