Erosion of the plasmasphere during a storm

摘要

abstract_textpThe erosion of the plasmasphere during a storm is analyzed using the Naval Research Laboratory Sami3 is Also a Model of the Ionosphere ionosphere/plasmasphere code, coupled to the Rice Convection Model of the inner magnetosphere and ring current. We reproduce the commonly observed poststorm plasmasphere profile, with strong erosion outside of a sharp, poststorm plasmapause, and weak erosion inside the plasmapause. We find that inclusion of the ring current E field sharpens the poststorm plasmapause. In the case of a weak storm, erosion inside the poststorm plasmapause might not occur. In all cases, plasma flows are dominated by E x B drifts. For strong storms, we find that erosion, both inside and outside of the poststorm plasmapause, is caused by outward E x B drifts./ppPlain Language Summary The plasmasphere, the extension of the ionosphere into space that is held in place by Earth's magnetic field, partially disappears during geomagnetic storms. Where does the disappearing plasma go? We knew that most of it goes outward into space but were not sure about the part nearest Earth. We show that plasma goes out into space as well./p/abstract_text