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  1. Abstract

    Deep penetration of energetic electrons (10s–100s of keV) to lowL‐shells (L < 4), as an important source of inner belt electrons, is commonly observed during geomagnetically active times. However, such deep penetration is not observed as frequently for similar energy protons, for which underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. To study their differential deep penetration, we conducted a statistical analysis using phase space densities (PSDs) ofµ = 10–50 MeV/G,K = 0.14 G1/2Re electrons and protons from multiyear Van Allen Probes observations. The results suggest systematic differences in electron and proton deep penetration: electron PSD enhancements at lowL‐shells occur more frequently, deeply, and faster than protons. Forµ = 10–50 MeV/G electrons, the occurrence rate of deep penetration events (defined as daily‐averaged PSD enhanced by at least a factor of 2 within a day atL < 4) is ∼2–3 events/month. For protons, only ∼1 event/month was observed forµ = 10 MeV/G, and much fewer events were identified forµ > 20 MeV/G. Leveraging dual‐Probe configurations, fast electron deep penetrations atL < 4 are revealed: ∼70% of electron deep penetration events occurred within ∼9 hr; ∼8%–13% occurred even within 3 hr, with lower‐µelectrons penetrating faster than higher‐µelectrons. These results suggest nondiffusive radial transport as the main mechanism of electron deep penetrations. In comparison, proton deep penetration happens at a slower pace. Statistics also show that the electron PSD radial gradient is much steeper than protons prior to deep penetration events, which can be responsible for these differential behaviors of electron and proton deep penetrations.

     
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  2. Abstract

    Energetic electron flux enhancements for 100s keV energies are often observed at lowLshells (L < 4) in the inner magnetosphere during geomagnetic storms. However, protons with similar energies do not penetrate as deeply as electrons. Electric fields from subauroral polarization streams (SAPS) have been proposed as a mechanism to explain the difference between the 100s keV electron and proton behavior by altering the particles’ drift paths and allowing electrons to access lowerLshells than protons. Although the primary signature of SAPS is a strong radial electric field, there are corresponding westward/eastward azimuthal electric fields on the eastern/western regions of the SAPS that cause inward/outward radial transport and a differential response between the oppositely drifting electrons and protons. We examine three events where SAPS were observed by the Van Allen Probes near the same time andLshell range as 100s keV electron enhancements deep within the inner magnetosphere. The observations demonstrate that 100s keV electrons were progressively transported radially inward and trapped at lowLshells that were consistent with the spatial extent of the SAPS electric fields. Proton flux enhancements were limited to <100 keV energies and were only observed temporarily in the SAPS region, indicating that these particles were on open drift paths. The particle observations are consistent with the differential drift paths for electrons and protons predicted by a simple SAPS electric field model, suggesting that SAPS play an important role in 100s keV particle dynamics at lowLshells in the inner magnetosphere.

     
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  3. Abstract

    The present study investigates dipolarization signatures in the inner magnetosphere using sharp geosynchronous dipolarizations as a reference. The results are summarized as follows: (1) The region of sharp and structured dipolarizations expands earthward while dipolarizations are sustained at geosynchronous orbit; (2) within 5REfrom Earth, dipolarization signatures are often smooth and gradual, resembling midlatitude positive bays, and they start simultaneously with substorm onsets; (3) off the equator (>0.5RE), sharp dipolarizations often take place before geosynchronous dipolarizations. These results can be explained by a model current system with R1‐sense and R2‐sense current wedges (R1CW and R2CW) if (a) the R1CW, which is located outside, is more intense than the R2CW in total current, (b) the R1CW stays outside of geosynchronous orbit, and (c) the R2CW moves earthward. The model suggests that the region of sharp dipolarizations is confined between the two current wedges, and it expands earthward as the R2CW moves earthward (Result 1). Sufficiently earthward of the R2CW, the remote effect of the R1CW dominates that of the R2CW, and accordingly, magnetic disturbances resemble midlatitude positive bays (Result 2). Since the timing of sharp dipolarizations is determined by the passage of the R2CW, they take place earlier for outer flux tubes. Away from the magnetic equator, sharp dipolarizations can precede geosynchronous dipolarizations especially if the magnetic configuration is stretched (Result 3). Thus, this double‐current wedge model explains the variability of dipolarization signatures at different distances, and it may be regarded as a generalized substorm current wedge model.

     
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