A model of bounce-averaged relativistic protons with emphasis on the March 1991 magnetospheric compression

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dc.contributor.advisorChan, Anthony Arthuren_US
dc.creatorBraaten, Karsten Ericen_US
dc.date.accessioned2009-06-04T08:09:49Zen_US
dc.date.available2009-06-04T08:09:49Zen_US
dc.date.issued1997en_US
dc.description.abstractWe have derived relativistically correct gyro- and bounce-averaged Hamiltonian equations of motion to describe the motions of non-isotropic proton distributions in the Earth's inner and middle magnetosphere. We have focused on the case of equatorially-mirroring protons, and we have modified the Magnetospheric Specification Model (MSM) to trace these particles. We call the new particle simulation the Radiation Belt Test Code (RBTC). We have modeled the March 1991 magnetic storm, which was an extremely strong magnetospheric compression in which protons were energized to 1 to 100 MeV on time scales of a few minutes. We have compared our results with CRESS data collected during the event, and with the simulation results of Hudson et al. (3). We see a significant flux increase, but it is not as large as the increase observed by CRRES. We conclude that our model correctly describes the gross features of high-energy magnetospheric protons, but that the present algorithm of the MSM is too computationally intensive to model these equations in a reasonable time, especially for the highest energy particles that we were interested in. Suggestions for improvements and alternative methods are suggested.en_US
dc.format.extent50 p.en_US
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdfen_US
dc.identifier.callnoTHESIS SP. SCI. 1997 BRAATENen_US
dc.identifier.citationBraaten, Karsten Eric. "A model of bounce-averaged relativistic protons with emphasis on the March 1991 magnetospheric compression." (1997) Master’s Thesis, Rice University. <a href="https://hdl.handle.net/1911/17066">https://hdl.handle.net/1911/17066</a>.en_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/1911/17066en_US
dc.language.isoengen_US
dc.rightsCopyright is held by the author, unless otherwise indicated. Permission to reuse, publish, or reproduce the work beyond the bounds of fair use or other exemptions to copyright law must be obtained from the copyright holder.en_US
dc.subjectGeophysicsen_US
dc.subjectPlasma physicsen_US
dc.titleA model of bounce-averaged relativistic protons with emphasis on the March 1991 magnetospheric compressionen_US
dc.typeThesisen_US
dc.type.materialTexten_US
thesis.degree.departmentSpace Scienceen_US
thesis.degree.disciplineNatural Sciencesen_US
thesis.degree.grantorRice Universityen_US
thesis.degree.levelMastersen_US
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Scienceen_US
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