Adiabatic modeling of the relativistic electron fluxes during the storm main phase Original Research Article

Satellite observations have shown that flux variations of outer belt relativistic electrons exhibit a strong radial dependence during the storm main phase. This L dependence can be characterized as small decreases (or at times increases) near the inner edge of the belt and large decreases in its outer region. This paper examines the characteristic radial dependence in terms of the fully adiabatic response of relativistic electrons to magnetic field perturbations. We calculate storm time electron fluxes by adiabatically evolving quiet time values, using Lionvilleʹs theorem and the conservation of the three adiabatic invariants. In an adiabatic process, the main phase electron fluxes are affected by the radial structure of magnetic field perturbations and the spatial and energy dependence of the quiet time electron distribution. In response to the field perturbations, adiabatic flux changes become larger at higher L shells where electrons can experience strong deceleration and considerable radial displacement. We conclude that a fully adiabatic treatment can reproduce the overall pattern of the observed radial dependence of relativistic electron fluxes during the storm main phase, although this does not deny the importance of non-adiabatic processes during individual geomagnetic storms.