Dynamics of the Earth’s radiation belts during the magnetic storm of November 6th, 2001 Original Research Article

The magnetic storm on November 6th with Dst = −257 nT at minimum was produced by the coronal mass ejection during the solar flare at 16.30 UT on November 4th, 2001. Data obtained onboard the CORONAS-F satellite (the polar orbit with altitude about 500 km) are used to study radiation belt dynamics during this magnetic storm and after it. Measurements of November 4th and 5th correspond to the stable state of the radiation belt. Data obtained shortly after minimum of the Dst-variation show a drastic decrease of electron fluxes in a wide energy range in the outer belt as well as a shift of this belt maximum from L = 4 to L ∼ 2.9 and a shift of the slot to L ∼ 2. Particle fluxes in the inner radiation belt were practically constant. After ∼24 h the electron fluxes with Ee ∼ 0.3–0.6 MeV increased, but electron fluxes with Ee > 1.5 MeV were significantly lower than those of before the storm. The acceleration of electrons upto relativistic energies took place during the recovery phase of the magnetic storm at the inner boundary of the outer belt and ended by November 12th whereas formation of the belt maximum for electrons with energies Ee ∼ 0.3–0.6 MeV was connected with electron diffusion from the outer boundary. Besides, an increase of the electron fluxes of all energies at the outer boundary of the inner radiation belt was observed.