Correlation of changes in the outer‐zone relativistic‐electron population with upstream solar wind and magnetic field measurements

Abstract

A study has been made of the correlation of the population of relativistic electrons in the outer‐zone magnetosphere with the properties of the solar wind (speed, density, magnetic field) during a solar minimum period. The study is based upon observations made in the Spring of 1995 with sensors aboard 1994‐026 and WIND. It is found that a large relativistic electron enhancement depends upon a substantial solar‐wind speed increase associated with precursor solar‐wind density enhancement, and, in particular, upon a southward turning of the interplanetary magnetic field.