First Author: Baker, D. N.,

Co-Authors: Lepping, J. B. Blake, L. B. Callis, G. Rostoker, H. J. Singer, and G. D. Reeves,

Title: A strong CME-related magnetic cloud interaction with the Earth's magnetosphere: ISTP observations of rapid relativistic electron acceleration on May 15, 1997,

Reference: Geophys. Res. Lett., 25, 2975, 1998.

Reference Type: Published Journal

CEPPAD: true

CAMMICE: false

RAPID: false

Abstract: 
A geoeffective magnetic cloud impacted the Earth early on 15 May 1997. The cloud exhibited strong initial southward interplanetary magnetic field (Bz~-25 nT), which caused intense substorm activity and an intense geomagnetic storm (Dst ~-170 nT). SAMPEX data showed that relativistic electrons (E ~> 1.0 MeV) appeared suddenly deep in the magnetosphere at L=3 to 4. These electrons were not directly "injected" from higher altitudes (i.e., from the mag-netotail), nor did they come from an interplanetary source. The electron increase was preceded (for ~2 hrs) by remarka-bly strong low-frequency wave activity as seen by CANOPUS ground stations and by the GOES-8 spacecraft at geostationary orbit. POLAR/CEPPAD measurements support the result that high-energy electrons suddenly appeared deep in the magnetosphere. Thus, these new multi-point data sug-gest that strong magnetospheric waves can quickly and effi-ciently accelerate electrons to multi-MeV energies deep in the radia! tion belts on timescales of tens of minutes.