Temporal variations of strength and location of the South Atlantic Anomaly as measured by RXTE

Fürst F, Wilms J, Rothschild RE, Pottschmidt K, Smith DM, Lingenfelter R (2009)

Publication Status: Published

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2009

Journal

Earth and Planetary Science Letters Elsevier

Publisher: ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV

Book Volume: 281

Pages Range: 125-133

Journal Issue: 3-4

DOI: 10.1016/j.epsl.2009.02.004

Abstract

The evolution of the particle background at an altitude of similar to 540 km during the time interval between 1996 and 2007 is studied using the particle monitor of the High Energy X-ray Timing Experiment on board NASA's Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer. A special emphasis of this study is the location and strength of the South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA). The size and strength of the SAA are anti-correlated with the 10.7 cm radio flux of the Sun, which leads the SAA strength by similar to 1 year reflecting variations in solar heating of the upper atmosphere. The location of the SAA is also found to drift westwards with an average drift rate of about 0.3 degrees/yr following the drift of the geomagnetic-field configuration. Superimposed to this drift rate are irregularities, where the SAA suddenly moves eastwards and where furthermore the speed of the drift changes. The most prominent of these irregularities is found in the second quarter of 2003 and another event took place in 1999. We suggest that these events are previously unrecognized manifestations of the geomagnetic jerks of the Earth's magnetic field. (c) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Authors with CRIS profile

Felix Fürst Dr.Karl-Remeis-Sternwarte Bamberg, Astronomisches Institut Jörn Wilms Professur für Astronomie und Astrophysik

Involved external institutions

University of California, San Diego US United States (USA) (US) University of California Santa Cruz US United States (USA) (US)

How to cite

APA:

Fürst, F., Wilms, J., Rothschild, R.E., Pottschmidt, K., Smith, D.M., & Lingenfelter, R. (2009). Temporal variations of strength and location of the South Atlantic Anomaly as measured by RXTE. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 281(3-4), 125-133. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2009.02.004

MLA:

Fürst, Felix, et al. "Temporal variations of strength and location of the South Atlantic Anomaly as measured by RXTE." Earth and Planetary Science Letters 281.3-4 (2009): 125-133.

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