Measurement and modeling of the refilling plasmasphere during 2001

The Naval Research Laboratory SAMI3 (Sami3 is Also a Model of the Ionosphere) and the RAM‐CPL (Ring current Atmosphere interaction Model‐Cold PLasma) codes are used to model observed plasmasphere dynamics during 25 November 2001 to 1 December 2001 and 1–5 February 2001. Model results compare well to plasmasphere observations of electron and mass densities. Comparison of model results to refilling data and to each other shows good agreement, generally within a factor of 2. We find that SAMI3 plasmaspheric refilling rates and ion densities are sensitive to the composition and temperature of the thermosphere and exosphere, and to photoelectron heating. Results also support our previous finding that the wind‐driven dynamo significantly impacts both refilling rates and plasmasphere dynamics during quiet periods.Key PointsSAMI3 plasmasphere electron and mass densities agree with dataThermospheric composition and temperature affect plasmasphere refilling ratesComparison of SAMI3 and RAM‐CPL models highlights effects of thermosphere windsPeer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/134269/1/jgra52469.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/134269/2/jgra52469_am.pd