Duderstadt, KA, Huang, C, Spence, HE et al. (9 more authors) (2021) Estimating the Impacts of Radiation Belt Electrons on Atmospheric Chemistry Using FIREBIRD II and Van Allen Probes Observations. Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, 126 (7). e2020JD033098. ISSN 2169-897X
Abstract
This study considers the impact of electron precipitation from Earth's radiation belts on atmospheric composition using observations from the NASA Van Allen Probes and NSF Focused Investigations of Relativistic Electron Burst Intensity, Range, and Dynamics (FIREBIRD II) CubeSats. Ratios of electron flux between the Van Allen Probes (in near-equatorial orbit in the radiation belts) and FIREBIRD II (in polar low Earth orbit) during spacecraft conjunctions (2015–2017) allow an estimate of precipitation into the atmosphere. Total Radiation Belt Electron Content, calculated from Van Allen Probes RBSP-ECT MagEIS data, identifies a sustained 10-day electron loss event in March 2013 that serves as an initial case study. Atmospheric ionization profiles, calculated by integrating monoenergetic ionization rates across the precipitating electron flux spectrum, provide input to the NCAR Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model in order to quantify enhancements of atmospheric HOx and NOx and subsequent destruction of O3 in the middle atmosphere. Results suggest that current APEEP parameterizations of radiation belt electrons used in Coupled Model Intercomparison Project may underestimate the duration of events as well as higher energy electron contributions to atmospheric ionization and modeled NOx concentrations in the mesosphere and upper stratosphere.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
---|---|
Authors/Creators: |
|
Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Duderstadt, K. A., Huang, C.-L., Spence, H. E., Smith, S., Blake, J. B., Crew, A. B., et al. (2021). Estimating the impacts of radiation belt electrons on atmospheric chemistry using FIREBIRD II and Van Allen Probes observations. Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, 126, e2020JD033098, which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1029/2020JD033098. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Use of Self-Archived Versions. |
Keywords: | atmospheric ionization; electron precipitation; FIREBIRD; ozone; radiation belts; Van Allen Probes |
Dates: |
|
Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Engineering & Physical Sciences (Leeds) > School of Physics and Astronomy (Leeds) > Astrophysics (Leeds) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 02 Aug 2021 08:31 |
Last Modified: | 11 Sep 2021 00:39 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Wiley |
Identification Number: | 10.1029/2020jd033098 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:176713 |