Table 1 Decay processes for ring current (Ebihara and Ejiri 2003)
From: Simulation study of near-Earth space disturbances: 1. magnetic storms
Process | Region or cause | Fate |
|---|---|---|
Charge exchange | Geocorona | Energetic neutral atom (Dessler and Parker 1959) |
Coulomb collision | Plasmasphere | Precipitation into ionosphere (Wentworth et al. 1959; Fok et al. 1991; Jordanova et al. 1996) |
Wave-particle interaction | Resonant interaction with ion cyclotron wave | Precipitation into ionosphere (Cornwall et al. 1970) |
Adiabatic loss cone loss | Inward transport of ions | Precipitation into ionosphere (Jordanova et al. 1996) |
Field line curvature | Curved magnetic field line | Precipitation into ionosphere (Sergeev et al. 1983; Ebihara et al. 2011) |
Sudden decrease in plasma sheet density | Entire ring current | Replacement of ring current ions with tenuous ones (Ebihara and Ejiri 1998) |