Substorm-induced energetic electron precipitation: Impact on atmospheric chemistry

Magnetospheric substorms drive energetic electron precipitation into the Earth's atmosphere. We use the output from a substorm model to describe electron precipitation forcing of the atmosphere during an active substorm period in April–May 2007. We provide the first estimate of substorm impact...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Geophysical research letters 2015-10, Vol.42 (19), p.8172-8176
Main Authors: Seppälä, A., Clilverd, M. A., Beharrell, M. J., Rodger, C. J., Verronen, P. T., Andersson, M. E., Newnham, D. A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Atmosphere
Atmospheres
Atmospheric chemistry
Atmospheric models
Chemical precipitation
Climate models
Computer simulation
Earth
Earth atmosphere
Earth magnetosphere
Electron precipitation
Electrons
energetic electron precipitation
Energetic particles
Geophysics
HOx
Ionization
Magnetospheric substorms
Mathematical models
mesosphere
Middle atmosphere
NOx
Ozone
Particle precipitation
Precipitation
Solar protons
Solar storms
substorms
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Summary:Magnetospheric substorms drive energetic electron precipitation into the Earth's atmosphere. We use the output from a substorm model to describe electron precipitation forcing of the atmosphere during an active substorm period in April–May 2007. We provide the first estimate of substorm impact on the neutral composition of the polar middle atmosphere. Model simulations show that the enhanced ionization from a series of substorms leads to an estimated ozone loss of 5–50% in the mesospheric column depending on season. This is similar in scale to small to medium solar proton events (SPEs). This effect on polar ozone balance is potentially more important on long time scales (months to years) than the impulsive but sporadic (few SPE/year versus three to four substorms/day) effect of SPEs. Our results suggest that substorms should be considered an important source of energetic particle precipitation into the atmosphere and included in high‐top chemistry‐climate models. Key Points Substorms occur 3–4 times/day driving energetic electron precipitation into the atmosphere This type of electron precipitation is not yet included in atmospheric models Substorms can drive up to 50% loss in the mesospheric ozone column
ISSN:0094-8276
1944-8007
DOI:10.1002/2015GL065523