Influence of Loss Cone Widths on Electron Loss Timescales in Earth's Radiation Belts.
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| Title: | Influence of Loss Cone Widths on Electron Loss Timescales in Earth's Radiation Belts. |
|---|---|
| Authors: | Hu, Jingle1 (AUTHOR), Xiang, Zheng1 (AUTHOR) xiangzheng@whu.edu.cn, Liu, Yangxizi2 (AUTHOR), Dong, Junhu1 (AUTHOR), Wang, Jianhang1 (AUTHOR), Guo, Haozhi1 (AUTHOR), Dai, Jiakun1 (AUTHOR), Ni, Binbin1 (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Journal of Geophysical Research. Space Physics. Mar2026, Vol. 131 Issue 3, p1-12. 12p. |
| Subject Terms: | *Geomagnetism, Radiation belts, Drift diffusion models, Charge carrier lifetime, Electron diffusion |
| Abstract: | The electron lifetime is a critical parameter to describe the loss process of radiation belt electrons. The influence of pitch angle (PA) diffusion coefficients on electron lifetimes has been extensively studied, while the effect of loss cone width and the influence of different geomagnetic field models have received much less attention. To obtain a state‐of‐the‐art estimation of electron lifetimes, we investigated the impact of loss cone width on electron lifetimes using both the dipole and International Geomagnetic Reference Field (IGRF) models. We employ a drift‐diffusion model to simulate the temporal evolution of radiation belt energetic electron fluxes and then calculate the corresponding electron lifetimes. The results indicate that electron lifetimes decrease significantly with increasing loss cone width when assuming a flat distribution of PA diffusion coefficients. In contrast, a pronounced gap in diffusion coefficients significantly reduces the sensitivity of electron lifetimes to loss cone variations. Although the local loss cone values in the dipole and IGRF models have large differences, the corresponding lifetime differences remain minimal. We also compare the lifetime values calculated from simulation results with those derived from formulas. The lifetimes derived from the drift‐diffusion model agree well with those calculated from the precise formula of Lyons and Thorne (1972), https://doi.org/10.1029/ja077i019p03455, whereas the widely used approximate formula of Albert and Shprits (2009), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jastp.2008.07.004 tends to produce higher values of electron lifetimes. These results unveil the influences of loss cone width on electron lifetimes and help to obtain reliable lifetime values. Key Points: Larger loss cone values lead to faster loss of energetic electrons under pitch angle (PA) diffusionDeep gaps in PA diffusion coefficients can mitigate the influences of loss cone widths on electron lifetimesThe differences in electron lifetimes between using International Geomagnetic Reference Field and dipole geomagnetic fields are slight [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Journal of Geophysical Research. Space Physics is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
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| Header | DbId: 8gh DbLabel: GreenFILE An: 192597387 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Influence of Loss Cone Widths on Electron Loss Timescales in Earth's Radiation Belts. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Hu%2C+Jingle%22">Hu, Jingle</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Xiang%2C+Zheng%22">Xiang, Zheng</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> xiangzheng@whu.edu.cn</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Liu%2C+Yangxizi%22">Liu, Yangxizi</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Dong%2C+Junhu%22">Dong, Junhu</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Wang%2C+Jianhang%22">Wang, Jianhang</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Guo%2C+Haozhi%22">Guo, Haozhi</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Dai%2C+Jiakun%22">Dai, Jiakun</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ni%2C+Binbin%22">Ni, Binbin</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR) – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Geophysical+Research%2E+Space+Physics%22">Journal of Geophysical Research. Space Physics</searchLink>. Mar2026, Vol. 131 Issue 3, p1-12. 12p. – Name: Subject Label: Subject Terms Group: Su Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Geomagnetism%22">Geomagnetism</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Radiation+belts%22">Radiation belts</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Drift+diffusion+models%22">Drift diffusion models</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Charge+carrier+lifetime%22">Charge carrier lifetime</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Electron+diffusion%22">Electron diffusion</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: The electron lifetime is a critical parameter to describe the loss process of radiation belt electrons. The influence of pitch angle (PA) diffusion coefficients on electron lifetimes has been extensively studied, while the effect of loss cone width and the influence of different geomagnetic field models have received much less attention. To obtain a state‐of‐the‐art estimation of electron lifetimes, we investigated the impact of loss cone width on electron lifetimes using both the dipole and International Geomagnetic Reference Field (IGRF) models. We employ a drift‐diffusion model to simulate the temporal evolution of radiation belt energetic electron fluxes and then calculate the corresponding electron lifetimes. The results indicate that electron lifetimes decrease significantly with increasing loss cone width when assuming a flat distribution of PA diffusion coefficients. In contrast, a pronounced gap in diffusion coefficients significantly reduces the sensitivity of electron lifetimes to loss cone variations. Although the local loss cone values in the dipole and IGRF models have large differences, the corresponding lifetime differences remain minimal. We also compare the lifetime values calculated from simulation results with those derived from formulas. The lifetimes derived from the drift‐diffusion model agree well with those calculated from the precise formula of Lyons and Thorne (1972), https://doi.org/10.1029/ja077i019p03455, whereas the widely used approximate formula of Albert and Shprits (2009), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jastp.2008.07.004 tends to produce higher values of electron lifetimes. These results unveil the influences of loss cone width on electron lifetimes and help to obtain reliable lifetime values. Key Points: Larger loss cone values lead to faster loss of energetic electrons under pitch angle (PA) diffusionDeep gaps in PA diffusion coefficients can mitigate the influences of loss cone widths on electron lifetimesThe differences in electron lifetimes between using International Geomagnetic Reference Field and dipole geomagnetic fields are slight [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Geophysical Research. Space Physics is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1029/2025JA034930 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 12 StartPage: 1 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Geomagnetism Type: general – SubjectFull: Radiation belts Type: general – SubjectFull: Drift diffusion models Type: general – SubjectFull: Charge carrier lifetime Type: general – SubjectFull: Electron diffusion Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Influence of Loss Cone Widths on Electron Loss Timescales in Earth's Radiation Belts. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Hu, Jingle – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Xiang, Zheng – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Liu, Yangxizi – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Dong, Junhu – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Wang, Jianhang – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Guo, Haozhi – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Dai, Jiakun – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Ni, Binbin IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 03 Text: Mar2026 Type: published Y: 2026 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 21699380 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 131 – Type: issue Value: 3 Titles: – TitleFull: Journal of Geophysical Research. Space Physics Type: main |
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