Erosion of the plasmasphere during a storm
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The 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 × B drifts. For strong storms, we find that erosion, both inside and outside of the poststorm plasmapause, is caused by outward E × B drifts.
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Krall, J., Huba, J.D. and Sazykin, S.. "Erosion of the plasmasphere during a storm." Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, 122, no. 9 (2017) Wiley: 9320-9328. https://doi.org/10.1002/2017JA024450.