Investigation of Energetic Particle Precipitation using the Array for Broadband Observations of VLF/ELF Emissions (ABOVE) and the Energetic Particle Telescope (EPT)

Abstract:

Energetic Electron Precipitation (EEP) is an important loss mechanism for electrons in the radiation belts and its dynamics are still not well understood. The Array for Broadband Observations of VLF/ELF Emissions (ABOVE) is a ground-based array positioned near other existing ground-based instrumentation, covering relevant latitudes and longitudes across Midwest Canada. One of the main objectives of ABOVE is to observe energetic particle precipitation by monitoring the amplitude and phase of artificial VLF transmitters at distant locations. The Energetic Particle Telescope (EPT) is a state-of-the-art instrument on the Proba-V satellite, designed for measurements of the charged particle radiation environment in space, which allows us to quantify the loss of energetic electrons in the radiation belts and correlate it to the EEP observations by ABOVE. We analyze periods of time in 2015 when the geomagnetic activity is high and the amplitude and phase variation of waves detected by ABOVE indicate precipitation of energetic electrons into the ionosphere, and correlate them with electron flux decreases measured by EPT.