ULF geomagnetic power near<i>L</i>= 4: 2. Temporal variation of the radial diffusion coefficient for relativistic electrons

Abstract

Measurements at conjugate points on the ground near L = 4 of the power spectra of magnetic-field fluctuations in the frequency range 0.5 to 20 mHz are used as a means of estimating daily values for the relativistic-electron radial-diffusion coefficient DLL for two periods in December 1971 and January 1972. The values deduced for L−10 DLL show a strong variation with magnetic activity, as measured by the Fredricksburg magnetic index KFR. The radial-diffusion coefficient typically increases by a factor of ∼10 for a unit increase in KFR. When KFR ≲ 2, it is generally found that DLL ≲ 2 × 10−9 L10 day−1 for equatorially mirroring electrons having a first invariant M = 750 Mev/gauss; a value of DLL ∼4 × 10−7 L10 day−1 is deduced for one day on which the mean KFR was 4.5. The quantity L−10 DLL theoretically depends on energy and L as (L/M)(s−2)/2 for relativistic particles, where s is the logarithmic slope of the power-law spectrum of magnetic fluctuations observed on the ground. For the time period analyzed, s typically had values between 1 and 3.