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The contribution of plasma sheet bubbles to stormtime ring current buildup and evolution of the energy composition
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  • Anthony Sciola,
  • Viacheslav G. Merkin,
  • Kareem Sorathia,
  • Matina Gkioulidou,
  • Shanshan Bao,
  • Frank R. Toffoletto,
  • Kevin H Pham,
  • Dong Lin,
  • Adam Michael,
  • Michael Wiltberger,
  • Aleksandr Ukhorskiy
Anthony Sciola
The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Viacheslav G. Merkin
The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
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Kareem Sorathia
The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
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Matina Gkioulidou
JHU/APL
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Shanshan Bao
Rice University
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Frank R. Toffoletto
Rice University
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Kevin H Pham
National Center for Atmospheric Research
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Dong Lin
National Center for Atmospheric Research
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Adam Michael
The John Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory
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Michael Wiltberger
National Center for Atmospheric Research (UCAR)
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Aleksandr Ukhorskiy
JHU/APL
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Abstract

The formation of the stormtime ring current is a result of the inward transport and energization of plasma sheet ions. Previous studies have demonstrated that a significant fraction of the total inward plasma sheet transport takes place in the form of bursty bulk flows (BBFs), known theoretically as flux tube entropy-depleted “bubbles.’ However, it remains an open question to what extent bubbles contribute to the buildup of the stormtime ring current. Using the Multiscale Atmosphere Geospace Environment (MAGE) Model, we present a case study of the March 17, 2013 storm, including a quantitative analysis of the contribution of plasma transported by bubbles to the ring current. We show that bubbles are responsible for at least 50\% of the plasma energy enhancement within 6 R$_E$ during this strong geomagnetic storm. The bubbles that penetrate within 6 R$_E$ transport energy primarily in the form of enthalpy flux, followed by Poynting flux and relatively little as bulk kinetic flux. Return flows can transport outwards a significant fraction of the plasma energy being transported by inward flows, and therefore must be considered when quantifying the net contribution of bubbles to the energy buildup. Data-model comparison with proton intensities observed by the Van Allen Probes show that the model accurately reproduces both the bulk and spectral properties of the stormtime ring current. The evolution of the ring current energy spectra throughout the modeled storm is driven by both inward transport of an evolving plasma sheet population and by charge exchange with Earth’s geocorona.
13 Jun 2023Submitted to ESS Open Archive
14 Jun 2023Published in ESS Open Archive