Reeves, G. D.,
Co-Authors: M. G. Henderson, H. E. Spence, A. M. Jorgensen, and J. B. Blake,
Title: Energetic Particle Dynamics Seen Through Neutral Atom Images,
Reference: AGU Western Pacific Geophysics Meeting, Taipei, Taiwan, July 21-24, 1998.
Reference Type: Invited Talk
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Abstract:
Energetic Neutral Atoms (ENAs) provide a means of imaging the otherwise invisible energetic particle populations in the magnetosphere. The Imaging Proton Spectrometer on the POLAR satellite has produced an wealth of exciting new images of the magnetosphere which reveal storm dynamics, substorm injections, and information on the global distribution of energetic particles under different geomagnetic conditions. While the POLAR ENA images by themselves are quite striking their value is immeasurably enhanced by the addition of in situ data from the full suite of ISTP and supporting spacecraft and by numerical modeling. We will review the POLAR ENA results to date. We will show both selected events and statistical studies. In particular we will present results from statistical image synthesis and superposed epoch techniques that provide enhanced spatial and temporal resolution. We will also compare the ENA imaging results with in situ and numerical model results. We will also look to the future and consider how the POLAR energetic neutral atom images are providing a sneak preview and are laying the groundwork for future dedicated missions such as IMAGE and TWINS.
