Comparisons of geomagnetic transmission measurements with modified Tsyganenko 1989 model calculations for the October 1989 Solar Energetic Particle events

We have determined eight-second averaged geomagnetic transmissions of 36-80 MeV protons for the large Solar Energetic Particle (SEP) events and geomagnetic activity level variations of October 1989 using measurements from the NOAA-10 and GOES-7 satellites. We have compared the geomagnetic transmission measurements with model calculations employing trajectory tracings through the combined International Geomagnetic Reference Field (IGRF) and Kp/Dst modified 1989 Tsyganenko model. We present threshold geomagnetic transmission geographic latitudes and magnetic latitudes, as well as (a) differences between the measured and calculated threshold geographic latitudes and magnetic latitudes and (b) differences between measured and calculated polar pass durations. We find that for less disturbed geomagnetic activity levels, the measured threshold geomagnetic transmission geographic and magnetic latitudes are typically about 1-1.5° equatorward of the calculated geographic and magnetic latitudes, while for larger geomagnetic activity levels, the measured geographic and magnetic latitudes can be about 1.5° poleward of the calculated geographic and magnetic latitudes. For the eight Kp bins, we also compare the mean measured magnetic latitudes as a function of mean Dst with the mean calculated magnetic latitudes, interpolated to the mean measured Dst values. These comparisons of mean magnetic latitudes illustrate the improvement in the accuracy of the model calculations resulting from employing the actual mean measured Dst values.