In situ signatures of residual plasmaspheric plumes: Observations and simulation

We compare in situ observations of the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) Magnetospheric Plasma Analyzers with output of a dynamic, plasmapause test particle (PTP) simulation for the moderately disturbed interval 18–20 January 2000. In the model, weakly enhanced convection on 18 January creates a narrow drainage plume (plume A) that wraps completely around the main torus. Moderate convection on 19 January triggers significant plasmaspheric erosion, forming a second plume (B) that coexists with the narrow, wrapped, residual plume A. We fly three virtual LANL satellites through the simulation domain. The observations are globally consistent with the PTP simulation; LANL data contain several intervals of plume plasma in the model's predicted magnetic local time (MLT) sector. The modeled durations of plume sector transits are in good agreement with the LANL data. On a subglobal scale, the MLT widths and timings of the simulated plumes do not precisely agree with observations. However, several observation intervals exhibit good morphological agreement with virtual spacecraft signatures of two distinct, coexisting plumes (A and B). The fine‐scale structure in the PTP model arises from the merging of residual plume A with the newer plume B. Plume merging is one theoretical means of generating fine structure in the plasmasphere: during multiple cycles of erosion and recovery, successive layers of wrapped, residual plumes can merge with newer plumes, creating layers of filamentary density structure. The model‐data comparisons suggest that the plasmaspheric density distribution may preserve some memory of prior epochs of erosion and recovery. Key Points Observations are globally consistent with a simple convection‐driven model Merging of residual plumes is a theoretical means of generating fine structure The plasmasphere may preserve memory of prior epochs of erosion and recovery