Solar Wind Conditions Research Articles

Variations of the Martian plasma environment during the ICME passage on 8 March 2015: A time‐dependent MHD study

AbstractThe Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) spacecraft observed a strong interplanetary coronal mass ejection (ICME) impacting Mars on 8 March 2015. We use a time‐dependent global MHD model to investigate the response of the Martian ionosphere and induced magnetosphere to the large solar wind disturbance associated with the ICME. Taking observed upstream solar wind conditions from MAVEN as inputs to the MHD model, the variations of the Martian plasma environments are simulated realistically in a time period from 2.5 h prior to the arrival of the ICME shock to about 12 h after the impact. Detailed comparisons between the model results and the relevant MAVEN plasma measurements are presented, which clearly show that the time‐dependent multispecies single‐fluid MHD model is able to reproduce the main features observed by the spacecraft during the ICME passage. Model results suggest that the induced magnetosphere responds to solar wind variation on a very short time scale (approximately minutes). The variations of the plasma boundaries' distances from the planet along the subsolar line are examined in detail, which show a clear anticorrelation with the magnetosonic Mach number. Plasma properties in the ionosphere (especially the induced magnetic field) varied rapidly with solar wind changes. Model results also show that ion escape rates could be enhanced by an order of magnitude in response to the high solar wind dynamic pressure during the ICME event.

Preconditioning of Interplanetary Space Due to Transient CME Disturbances

Abstract Interplanetary space is characteristically structured mainly by high-speed solar wind streams emanating from coronal holes and transient disturbances such as coronal mass ejections (CMEs). While high-speed solar wind streams pose a continuous outflow, CMEs abruptly disrupt the rather steady structure, causing large deviations from the quiet solar wind conditions. For the first time, we give a quantification of the duration of disturbed conditions (preconditioning) for interplanetary space caused by CMEs. To this aim, we investigate the plasma speed component of the solar wind and the impact of in situ detected interplanetary CMEs (ICMEs), compared to different background solar wind models (ESWF, WSA, persistence model) for the time range 2011–2015. We quantify in terms of standard error measures the deviations between modeled background solar wind speed and observed solar wind speed. Using the mean absolute error, we obtain an average deviation for quiet solar activity within a range of 75.1–83.1 km s−1. Compared to this baseline level, periods within the ICME interval showed an increase of 18%–32% above the expected background, and the period of two days after the ICME displayed an increase of 9%–24%. We obtain a total duration of enhanced deviations over about three and up to six days after the ICME start, which is much longer than the average duration of an ICME disturbance itself (∼1.3 days), concluding that interplanetary space needs ∼2–5 days to recover from the impact of ICMEs. The obtained results have strong implications for studying CME propagation behavior and also for space weather forecasting.

A Model for Dissipation of Solar Wind Magnetic Turbulence by Kinetic Alfvén Waves at Electron Scales: Comparison with Observations

Abstract In hydrodynamic turbulence, it is well established that the length of the dissipation scale depends on the energy cascade rate, i.e., the larger the energy input rate per unit mass, the more the turbulent fluctuations need to be driven to increasingly smaller scales to dissipate the larger energy flux. Observations of magnetic spectral energy densities indicate that this intuitive picture is not valid in solar wind turbulence. Dissipation seems to set in at the same length scale for different solar wind conditions independently of the energy flux. To investigate this difference in more detail, we present an analytic dissipation model for solar wind turbulence at electron scales, which we compare with observed spectral densities. Our model combines the energy transport from large to small scales and collisionless damping, which removes energy from the magnetic fluctuations in the kinetic regime. We assume wave–particle interactions of kinetic Alfvén waves (KAWs) to be the main damping process. Wave frequencies and damping rates of KAWs are obtained from the hot plasma dispersion relation. Our model assumes a critically balanced turbulence, where larger energy cascade rates excite larger parallel wavenumbers for a certain perpendicular wavenumber. If the dissipation is additionally wave driven such that the dissipation rate is proportional to the parallel wavenumber—as with KAWs—then an increase of the energy cascade rate is counterbalanced by an increased dissipation rate for the same perpendicular wavenumber, leading to a dissipation length independent of the energy cascade rate.

Geospace monitoring for space weather research and operation

Geospace, a space surrounding the Earth, is one of the key area for space weather. Because geospace environment dynamically varies depending on the solar wind conditions. Many kinds of space assets are operating in geospace for practical purposes. Anomalies of space assets are sometimes happened because of space weather disturbances in geospace. Therefore, monitoring and forecasting of geospace environment is very important tasks for NICT's space weather research and development. To monitor and to improve forecasting model, fluxgate magnetometers and HF radars are operated by our laboratory, and its data are used for our research work, too. We also operate real-time data acquisition system for satellite data, such as DSCOVR, STEREO, and routinely received high energy particle data from Himawari-8. Based on these data, we are monitoring current condition of geomagnetic disturbances, and that of radiation belt. Using these data, we have developed empirical models for relativistic electron flux at GEO and inner magnetosphere. To provide userfriendly information , we are trying to develop individual spacecraft anomaly risk estimation tool based on combining models of space weather and those of spacecraft charging, Current status of geospace monitoring, forecasting, and research activities are introduced.

Magnetospheric and solar wind dependences of coupled fast‐mode resonances outside the plasmasphere

AbstractWe investigate the magnetospheric and solar wind factors that control the occurrence probabilities, locations, and frequencies of standing Alfvén waves excited via coupled fast‐mode resonances (cFMRs) in the outer magnetosphere's dawn and dusk sectors. The variation of these cFMR properties with the observed magnetospheric plasma density profiles and inputs to the semiempirically modeled magnetic field from the numerical cFMR calculations of Archer et al. (2015) are studied. The probability of cFMR occurrence increases with distance between the magnetopause and the Alfvén speed's local maximum. The latter's location depends on magnetospheric activity: during high activity it is situated slightly outside the plasmapause, whereas at low activity it is found at much larger radial distances. The frequencies of cFMR are proportional to the Alfvén speed near the magnetopause, which is affected by both density and magnetic field variations. The location of the excited resonance, however, depends on the relative steepness of the Alfvén speed radial profile. The steeper this is, the closer the resonance is to the outer boundary and vice versa. The variation of the density profiles with solar wind conditions and activity is also shown.

Structure, dynamics, and seasonal variability of the Mars‐solar wind interaction: MAVEN Solar Wind Ion Analyzer in‐flight performance and science results

AbstractWe report on the in‐flight performance of the Solar Wind Ion Analyzer (SWIA) and observations of the Mars‐solar wind interaction made during the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) prime mission and a portion of its extended mission, covering 0.85 Martian years. We describe the data products returned by SWIA and discuss the proper handling of measurements made with different mechanical attenuator states and telemetry modes, and the effects of penetrating and scattered backgrounds, limited phase space coverage, and multi‐ion populations on SWIA observations. SWIA directly measures solar wind protons and alpha particles upstream from Mars. SWIA also provides proxy measurements of solar wind and neutral densities based on products of charge exchange between the solar wind and the hydrogen corona. Together, upstream and proxy observations provide a complete record of the solar wind experienced by Mars, enabling organization of the structure, dynamics, and ion escape from the magnetosphere. We observe an interaction that varies with season and solar wind conditions. Solar wind dynamic pressure, Mach number, and extreme ultraviolet flux all affect the bow shock location. We confirm the occurrence of order‐of‐magnitude seasonal variations of the hydrogen corona. We find that solar wind Alfvén waves, which provide an additional energy input to Mars, vary over the mission. At most times, only weak mass loading occurs upstream from the bow shock. However, during periods with near‐radial interplanetary magnetic fields, structures consistent with Short Large Amplitude Magnetic Structures and their wakes form upstream, dramatically reconfiguring the Martian bow shock and magnetosphere.

Correlations between plasmapause evolutions and auroral signatures during substorms observed by Chang’e-3 EUV Camera

The plasmapause locations determined from the Chang’e-3 (CE-3) Extreme Ultraviolet Camera (EUVC) images and the auroral boundaries determined from the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) Special Sensor Ultraviolet Spectrographic Imager (SSUSI) images are used to investigate the plasmaspheric evolutions during substorms. The most important finding is a nightside pointing plasmaspheric plume observed at 23:05 UT on 21 April 2014 under quiet solar wind and geomagnetic conditions, which drifted from the dusk sector. High correlations between the plasmapause evolutions and the auroral signatures exist during substorms. After substorm onset, the plasmapause erosion and the equatorward expansion of the auroral oval occur almost simultaneously in both MLT and UT, and then both the erosion and the expansion propagate westward and eastward. It is suggested that the plasmaspheric erosion and its MLT propagations are induced by the enhanced earthward plasma convection during substorm period, and the substorm dipolarization causes pitch-angle scattering of plasma sheet electrons and the resulting precipitation excites aurora emissions at the same time.

Forecasting Kp from solar wind data: input parameter study using 3-hour averages and 3-hour range values

We have developed neural network models that predict Kp from upstream solar wind data. We study the importance of various input parameters, starting with the magnetic component B z , particle density n , and velocity V and then adding total field B and the B y component. As we also notice a seasonal and UT variation in average Kp we include functions of day-of-year and UT. Finally, as Kp is a global representation of the maximum range of geomagnetic variation over 3-hour UT intervals we conclude that sudden changes in the solar wind can have a big effect on Kp , even though it is a 3-hour value. Therefore, 3-hour solar wind averages will not always appropriately represent the solar wind condition, and we introduce 3-hour maxima and minima values to some degree address this problem. We find that introducing total field B and 3-hour maxima and minima, derived from 1-minute solar wind data, have a great influence on the performance. Due to the low number of samples for high Kp values there can be considerable variation in predicted Kp for different networks with similar validation errors. We address this issue by using an ensemble of networks from which we use the median predicted Kp . The models (ensemble of networks) provide prediction lead times in the range 20–90 min given by the time it takes a solar wind structure to travel from L1 to Earth. Two models are implemented that can be run with real time data: (1) IRF-Kp-2017-h3 uses the 3-hour averages of the solar wind data and (2) IRF-Kp-2017 uses in addition to the averages, also the minima and maxima values. The IRF-Kp-2017 model has RMS error of 0.55 and linear correlation of 0.92 based on an independent test set with final Kp covering 2 years using ACE Level 2 data. The IRF-Kp-2017-h3 model has RMSE = 0.63 and correlation = 0.89. We also explore the errors when tested on another two-year period with real-time ACE data which gives RMSE = 0.59 for IRF-Kp-2017 and RMSE = 0.73 for IRF-Kp-2017-h3. The errors as function of Kp and for different years are also studied.

Timescales for the penetration of IMF By into the Earth's magnetotail

AbstractPrevious studies have shown that there is a correlation between the By component of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) and the By component observed in the magnetotail lobe and in the plasma sheet. However, studies of the effect of IMF By on several magnetospheric processes have indicated that the By component in the tail should depend more strongly on the recent history of the IMF By rather than on the simultaneous measurements of the IMF. Estimates of this timescale vary from ∼25 min to ∼4 h. We present a statistical study of how promptly the IMF By component is transferred into the neutral sheet, based on Cluster observations of the neutral sheet from 2001 to 2008, and solar wind data from the OMNI database. Five thousand nine hundred eighty‐two neutral sheet crossings during this interval were identified, and starting with the correlation between instantaneous measurements of the IMF and the magnetotail (recently reported by Cao et al. (2014)), we vary the time delay applied to the solar wind data. Our results suggest a bimodal distribution with peaks at ∼1.5 and ∼3 h. The relative strength of each peak appears to be well controlled by the sign of the IMF Bz component with peaks being observed at 1 h of lag time for southward IMF and up to 5 h for northward IMF conditions, and the magnitude of the solar wind velocity with peaks at 2 h of lag time for fast solar wind and 4 h for slow solar wind conditions.

Pluto–Charon solar wind interaction dynamics

This work studies Charon’s effects on the Pluto-solar wind interaction using a multifluid MHD model which simulates the interactions of Pluto and Charon with the solar wind as well as with each other. Specifically, it investigates the ionospheric dynamics of a two body system in which either one or both bodies possess an ionosphere. Configurations in which Charon is directly upstream and directly downstream of Pluto are considered. Depending on ionospheric and solar wind conditions, Charon could periodically pass into the solar wind flow upstream of Pluto. The results of this study demonstrate that in these circumstances Charon modifies the upstream flow, both in the case in which Charon possesses an ionosphere, and in the case in which Charon is without an ionosphere. This modification amounts to a change in the gross structure of the interaction region when Charon possesses an ionosphere but is more localized when Charon lacks an ionosphere. Furthermore, evidence is shown that supports Charon acting to partially shield Pluto from the solar wind when it is upstream of Pluto, resulting in a decrease in ionospheric loss by Pluto.

Cassini plasma observations of Saturn's magnetospheric cusp

AbstractThe magnetospheric cusp is a funnel‐shaped region where shocked solar wind plasma is able to enter the high‐latitude magnetosphere via the process of magnetic reconnection. The plasma observations include various cusp signatures such as ion energy dispersions and diamagnetic effects. We present an overview analysis of cusp plasma observations at the Saturnian magnetosphere from the Cassini spacecraft era. A comparison of the observations is made as well as classification into groups due to varying characteristics. The locations of the reconnection site are calculated and shown to vary along the subsolar magnetopause. We show the first in situ evidence for lobe reconnection that occurred at nearly the same time as dayside reconnection for one of the cusp crossings. Evidence for “bursty” and more “continuous” reconnection signatures is observed at different cusp events. The events are compared to solar wind propagation models, and it is shown that magnetic reconnection and plasma injection into the cusp can occur for a variety of upstream conditions. These are important results because they show that Saturn's magnetospheric interaction with the solar wind and the resulting cusp signatures are dynamic and that plasma injection in the cusp occurs due to a variety of solar wind conditions. Furthermore, reconnection can proceed at a variety of locations along the magnetopause.

MIXING THE SOLAR WIND PROTON AND ELECTRON SCALES: EFFECTS OF ELECTRON TEMPERATURE ANISOTROPY ON THE OBLIQUE PROTON FIREHOSE INSTABILITY

ABSTRACT The double adiabatic expansion of the nearly collisionless solar wind plasma creates conditions for the firehose instability to develop and efficiently prevent the further increase of the plasma temperature in the direction parallel to the interplanetary magnetic field. The conditions imposed by the firehose instability have been extensively studied using idealized approaches that ignore the mutual effects of electrons and protons. Recently, more realistic approaches have been proposed that take into account the interplay between electrons and protons, unveiling new regimes of the parallel oscillatory modes. However, for oblique wave propagation the instability develops distinct branches that grow much faster and may therefore be more efficient than the parallel firehose instability in constraining the temperature anisotropy of the plasma particles. This paper reports for the first time on the effects of electron plasma properties on the oblique proton firehose (PFH) instability and provides a comprehensive vision of the entire unstable wave-vector spectrum, unifying the proton and the smaller electron scales. The plasma β and temperature anisotropy regimes considered here are specific for the solar wind and magnetospheric conditions, and enable the electrons and protons to interact via the excited electromagnetic fluctuations. For the selected parameters, simultaneous electron and PFH instabilities can be observed with a dispersion spectrum of the electron firehose (EFH) extending toward the proton scales. Growth rates of the PFH instability are markedly boosted by the anisotropic electrons, especially in the oblique direction where the EFH growth rates are orders of magnitude higher.

The 17 March 2015 storm: the associated magnetic flux rope structure and the storm development

The objective of this study is (1) to determine the magnetic cloud (MC) structure associated with the 17 March 2015 storm and (2) to gain an insight into how the storm developed responding to the solar wind conditions. First, we search MC geometries which can explain the observed solar wind magnetic fields by fitting to both cylindrical and toroidal flux rope models. Then, we examine how the resultant MC geometries can be connected to the solar source region to find out the most plausible model for the observed MC. We conclude that the observations are most consistently explained by a toroidal flux rope with the torus plane nearly parallel to the ecliptic plane. It is emphasized that the observations are characterized by the peculiar spacecraft crossing through the MC, in that the magnetic fields to be observed are southward throughout the passage. For understanding of the storm development, we first estimate the injection rate of the storm ring current from the observed Dst variation. Then, we derive an expression to calculate the estimated injection rate from the observed solar wind variations. The point of the method is to evaluate the injection rate by the convolution of the dawn-to-dusk electric field in the solar wind and a response function. By using the optimum response function thus determined, we obtain a modeled Dst variation from the solar wind data, which is in good agreement with the observed Dst variation. The agreement supports the validity of our method to derive an expression for the ring current injection rate as a function of the solar wind variation.

Evidence for transient, local ion foreshocks caused by dayside magnetopause reconnection

Abstract. We present a scenario resulting in time-dependent behaviour of the bow shock and transient, local ion reflection under unchanging solar wind conditions. Dayside magnetopause reconnection produces flux transfer events driving fast-mode wave fronts in the magnetosheath. These fronts push out the bow shock surface due to their increased downstream pressure. The resulting bow shock deformations lead to a configuration favourable to localized ion reflection and thus the formation of transient, travelling foreshock-like field-aligned ion beams. This is identified in two-dimensional global magnetospheric hybrid-Vlasov simulations of the Earth's magnetosphere performed using the Vlasiator model (http://vlasiator.fmi.fi). We also present observational data showing the occurrence of dayside reconnection and flux transfer events at the same time as Geotail observations of transient foreshock-like field-aligned ion beams. The spacecraft is located well upstream of the foreshock edge and the bow shock, during a steady southward interplanetary magnetic field and in the absence of any solar wind or interplanetary magnetic field perturbations. This indicates the formation of such localized ion foreshocks.

Effects of the crustal magnetic fields on the Martian atmospheric ion escape rate

AbstractEight years (2007–2015) of ion flux measurements from Mars Express are used to statistically investigate the influence of the Martian magnetic crustal fields on the atmospheric ion escape rate. We combine all Analyzer of Space Plasmas and Energetic Atoms/Ion Mass Analyzer (ASPERA‐3/IMA) measurements taken during nominal upstream solar wind and solar extreme ultraviolet conditions to compute global average ion distribution functions, individually for the north/south hemispheres and for varying solar zenith angles (SZAs) of the strongest crustal magnetic field. Escape rates are subsequently calculated from each of the average distribution functions. The maximum escape rate (4.2 ± 1.2) × 1024s−1 is found for SZA = 60°–80°, while the minimum escape rate (1.7 ± 0.6) × 1024s−1 is found for SZA = 28°–60°, showing that the dayside orientation of the crustal fields significantly affects the global escape rate (p = 97%). However, averaged over time, independent of SZA, we find no statistically significant difference in the escape rates from the two hemispheres (escape from southern hemisphere 46% ± 18% of global rate).

High-latitude F region large-scale ionospheric irregularities under different solar wind and zenith angle conditions

A numerical model is used to study systematically the evolution of large scale irregularities depending on the IMF Bz and By components, solar zenith angle (seasonal and daily variation), solar and geomagnetic activity. The model enables to reproduce the 3-D distribution of electron density over the high-latitude F region ionosphere in the altitude range between 130 and 640km. Since the convection electric field driven by changes in solar wind conditions has an important effect on the high-latitude ionosphere, the rotation of the IMF vector in the Y–Z plane causes a significant redistribution of the ionospheric plasma. Under the southward IMF conditions the plasma density is enhanced over a large portion of the near-pole ionosphere as a tongue of ionization, while the northward IMF leads to a considerable depletion and occurrence of the polar hole. The IMF By polarity is crucial for the shift and extension of the tongue of ionization to the dusk or dawn side. Particle precipitation also plays a role through a localized increase of the electron density mostly within the auroral oval and more pronounced auroral peak. The solar zenith angle, especially its seasonal variation, is the strongest regular factor influencing the electron density magnitude and spatial distribution. In winter, when the polar ionosphere is in darkness, large variations associated with different solar wind condition are more prominent. The daily variation of the zenith angle considerably modifies the Ne within a particular pattern. At a given time, the combined action of the IMF, solar zenith angle, level of solar and geomagnetic activity produces a complicated ionospheric response which can be considered as a superposition of different effects. Quantitative estimates of the ionospheric response to each factor are presented.

Influence of ion outflow in coupled geospace simulations: 2. Sawtooth oscillations driven by physics‐based ion outflow

AbstractWe present the first simulations of magnetospheric sawtooth oscillations under steady solar wind conditions that are driven internally by heavy ion outflow from a physics‐based model. The simulations presented use the multifluid Lyon‐Fedder‐Mobarry magnetohydrodynamics model two‐way coupled to the ionosphere/polar wind model (IPWM). Depending on the type of wave‐particle interactions utilized within IPWM, the coupled simulations exhibit either sawtooth oscillations or steady magnetospheric convection. Contrasting the simulations that do and do not develop sawtooth oscillations yields insights into the relationship between outflow and sawtooth oscillations. The total outflow rate is not an adequate predictor of the convection mode that will emerge. The simulations that develop sawtooth oscillations are characterized by intense outflow concentrated in the midnight auroral region. This outflow distribution mass loads the tail reconnection region without excessively mass loading the dayside reconnection region and leads to an imbalance between the dayside and nightside reconnection rates.

Sources of the Slow Solar Wind During the Solar Cycle 23/24 Minimum

We investigate the characteristics and the sources of the slow (< 450 km/s) solar wind during the four years (2006-2009) of low solar activity between Solar Cycles 23 and 24. We use a comprehensive set of in-situ observations in the near-Earth solar wind (Wind and ACE) and remove the periods when large-scale interplanetary coronal mass ejections were present. The investigated period features significant variations in the global coronal structure, including the frequent presence of low-latitude active regions in 2006-2007, long-lived low- and mid-latitude coronal holes in 2006 - mid-2008 and mostly the quiet Sun in 2009. We examine both Carrington Rotation averages of selected solar plasma, charge state and compositional parameters and distributions of these parameters related to Quiet Sun, Active Region Sun and the Coronal Hole Sun. While some of the investigated parameters (e.g., speed, the C^{+6}/C^{+4} and He/H ratio) show clear variations over our study period and with solar wind source type, some (Fe/O) exhibit very little changes. Our results highlight the difficulty in distinguishing between the slow solar wind sources based on the inspection of the solar wind conditions.

Dynamic responses of the Earth's radiation belts during periods of solar wind dynamic pressure pulse based on normalized superposed epoch analysis

AbstractUsing the electron flux measurements obtained from five satellites (GOES 15 and POES 15, 16, 18, and 19), we investigate the flux variations of radiation belt electrons during forty solar wind dynamic pressure pulses identified between September 2012 and December 2014. By utilizing the mean duration of the pressure pulses as the epoch timeline and stretching or compressing the time phases of individual events to normalize the duration by means of linear interpolation, we have performed normalized superposed epoch analysis to evaluate the dynamic responses of radiation belt energetic electrons corresponding to various groups of solar wind and magnetospheric conditions in association with solar wind dynamic pressure pulses. Our results indicate that by adopting the timeline normalization we can reproduce the typical response of the electron radiation belts to pressure pulses. Radiation belt electron fluxes exhibit large depletions right after the Pdyn peak during the periods of northward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) Bz and are more likely to occur during the Pdyn pulse under southward IMF Bz conditions. For the pulse events with large negative values of (Dst)min, radiation belt electrons respond in a manner similar to those with southward IMF Bz, and the corresponding postpulse recovery can extend to L ~ 3 and exceed the prepulse flux levels. Triggered by the solar wind pressure enhancements, deeper earthward magnetopause erosion provides favorable conditions for the prompt electron flux dropouts that extend down to L ~ 5, and the pressure pulses with longer duration tend to produce quicker and stronger electron flux decay. In addition, the events with high electron fluxes before the Pdyn pulse tend to experience more severe electron flux dropouts during the course of the pulse, while the largest rate of electron flux increase before and after the pulse occurs under the preconditioned low electron fluxes. These new results help us understand how electron fluxes respond to solar wind dynamic pressure pulses and how these responses depend on the solar wind and geomagnetic conditions and on the preconditions in the electron radiation belts.

Physical mechanism causing rapid changes in ultrarelativistic electron pitch angle distributions right after a shock arrival: Evaluation of an electron dropout event

AbstractThree mechanisms have been proposed to explain relativistic electron flux depletions (dropouts) in the Earth's outer radiation belt during storm times: adiabatic expansion of electron drift shells due to a decrease in magnetic field strength, magnetopause shadowing and subsequent outward radial diffusion, and precipitation into the atmosphere (driven by EMIC wave scattering). Which mechanism predominates in causing electron dropouts commonly observed in the outer radiation belt is still debatable. In the present study, we evaluate the physical mechanism that may be primarily responsible for causing the sudden change in relativistic electron pitch angle distributions during a dropout event observed by Van Allen Probes during the main phase of the 27 February 2014 storm. During this event, the phase space density of ultrarelativistic (&gt;1 MeV) electrons was depleted by more than 1 order of magnitude over the entire radial extent of the outer radiation belt (3 &lt; L* &lt; 5) in less than 6 h after the passage of an interplanetary shock. We model the electron pitch angle distribution under a compressed magnetic field topology based on actual solar wind conditions. Although these ultrarelativistic electrons exhibit highly anisotropic (peaked in 90°), energy‐dependent pitch angle distributions, which appear to be associated with the typical EMIC wave scattering, comparison of the modeled electron distribution to electron measurements indicates that drift shell splitting is responsible for this rapid change in electron pitch angle distributions. This further indicates that magnetopause loss is the predominant cause of the electron dropout right after the shock arrival.