An official website of the United States government
Resonant interactions with whistler-mode waves are a crucial mechanism that drives the precipitation of energetic electrons. Using test particle simulations, we investigated the impact of nonlinear interactions of whistler-mode waves on electron precipitation across a broad energy range (10 keV- 1 MeV). Specifically, we focused on the combined effects of conventional phase bunching and anomalous scattering, which includes anomalous trapping and positive bunching. It is shown that anomalous scattering transports electrons away from the loss cone and the only process directly causing precipitation in the nonlinear regime is the phase bunching. We further show that their combined effects result in a precipitation-to-trapped flux ratio lower than the quasilinear expectations in a quasi-equilibrium state. Additionally, we calculated the diffusion and advection coefficients associated with the nonlinear trapping and bunching processes, which are vital for understanding the underlying mechanisms of the precipitation. Based on these coefficients, we characterized the phase bunching boundary, representing the innermost pitch angle boundary where phase bunching can occur. A further analysis revealed that electrons just outside this boundary, rather than near the loss cone, are directly precipitated, while electrons within the boundary are prevented from precipitation due to anomalous scattering. Moreover, we demonstrated that the regime of dominant nonlinear precipitation is determined by the combination of the phase bunching boundary and the inhomogeneity ratio. This comprehensive analysis provides insights into the nonlinear effects of whistler-mode waves on electron precipitation, which are essential for understanding physical processes related to precipitation, such as microbursts, characterized by intense and bursty electron precipitation.
more »
« less
Inhomogeneity Ratio for Nearly Field‐Aligned Electrons Interacting With Whistler‐Mode Waves
Abstract Nonlinear interactions between electrons and whistler‐mode chorus waves play an important role in driving electron precipitation in Earth's radiation belts. In this letter, we employ the second fundamental model of the Hamiltonian approach to derive the inhomogeneity ratio, assessing nonlinear resonant interactions between nearly field‐aligned electrons and parallel propagating chorus waves. We perform test particle simulations by launching electrons from a high latitude to the equator, encountering counter‐streaming chorus waves. Our simulations reveal that anomalous scattering, encompassing anomalous trapping and positive bunching, extends the resonant location to the downstream of electrons. The comparison with test particle results demonstrates the efficacy of the inhomogeneity ratio in characterizing nonlinear interactions at small pitch angles. We emphasize the importance of applying this ratio specifically for small pitch angle electrons, as the previously provided inhomogeneity ratio significantly underestimates the impact of nonlinear interactions on electron precipitation.
more »
« less
- PAR ID:
- 10566743
- Publisher / Repository:
- DOI PREFIX: 10.1029
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Geophysical Research Letters
- Volume:
- 52
- Issue:
- 2
- ISSN:
- 0094-8276
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
More Like this
-
-
Abstract Chorus waves are intense electromagnetic emissions critical in modulating electron dynamics. In this study, we perform two‐dimensional particle‐in‐cell simulations to investigate self‐consistent wave‐particle interactions with oblique chorus waves. We first analyze the electron dynamics sampled from cyclotron and Landau resonances with waves, and then quantify the advection and diffusion coefficients through statistical studies. It is found that phase‐trapped cyclotron resonant electrons satisfy the second‐order resonance condition and gain energy from waves. While phase‐bunched cyclotron resonant electrons cannot remain in resonance for long periods. They transfer energy to waves and are scattered to smaller pitch angles. Landau resonant electrons are primarily energized by waves. For both types of resonances, advection coefficients are greater than diffusion coefficients when the wave amplitude is large. Our study highlights the important role of advection in electron dynamics modulation resulting from nonlinear wave‐particle interactions.more » « less
-
Abstract Relativistic electron losses in Earth's radiation belts are usually attributed to electron resonant scattering by electromagnetic waves. One of the most important wave modes for such scattering is the electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) mode. Within the quasi‐linear diffusion framework, the cyclotron resonance of relativistic electrons with EMIC waves results in very fast electron precipitation to the atmosphere. However, wave intensities often exceed the threshold for nonlinear resonant interaction, and such intense EMIC waves have been shown to transport electrons away from the loss cone due to theforce bunchingeffect. In this study we investigate if this transport can block electron precipitation. We combine test particle simulations, low‐altitude observations of EMIC‐driven electron precipitation by the Electron Losses and Fields Investigations mission, and ground‐based EMIC observations. Comparing simulations and observations, we show that, despite the low pitch‐angle electrons being transported away from the loss cone, the scattering at higher pitch angles results in the loss cone filling and electron precipitation.more » « less
-
Abstract Electron losses from the outer radiation belt are typically attributed to resonant electron scattering by whistler‐mode waves. Although the quasi‐linear diffusive regime of such scattering is well understood, the observed waves are often quite intense and in the nonlinear regime of resonant wave‐particle interaction. Such nonlinear resonant interactions are still being actively studied due to their potential for driving fast precipitation. However, direct observations of nonlinear resonance of whistler‐mode waves with electron distributions are scarce. Here, we present evidence for such resonance with high‐resolution electron energy and pitch angle spectra acquired at low‐altitudes by the dual Electron Losses and Fields INvestgation (ELFIN) CubeSats combined with conjugate measurements of equatorial plasma parameters, wave properties, and electron energy spectra by the Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms and Magnetospheric MultiScale missions. ELFIN has obtained numerous conjunction events exhibiting whistler wave driven precipitation; in this study, we present two such events which epitomize signatures of nonlinear resonant scattering. A test particle simulation of electron interactions with intense whistler‐mode waves prescribed at the equator is employed to directly compare modeled precipitation spectra with ELFIN observations. We show that the observed precipitating spectra match expectations to within observational uncertainties of wave amplitude for reasonable assumptions of wave power distribution along the magnetic field line. These results indicate the importance of nonlinear resonant effects when describing intense precipitation patterns of energetic electrons and open the possibility of remotely investigating equatorial wave properties using just properties of precipitation energy and pitch angle spectra.more » « less
-
Abstract We investigate the dynamics of relativistic electrons in the Earth's outer radiation belt by analyzing the interplay of several key physical processes: electron losses due to pitch angle scattering from electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves and chorus waves, and electron flux increases from chorus wave‐driven acceleration of 100–300 keV seed electrons injected from the plasma sheet. We examine a weak geomagnetic storm on 17 April 2021, using observations from various spacecraft, including GOES, Van Allen Probes, ERG/ARASE, MMS, ELFIN, and POES. Despite strong EMIC‐ and chorus wave‐driven electron precipitation in the outer radiation belt, trapped 0.1–1.5 MeV electron fluxes actually increased. We use theoretical estimates of electron quasi‐linear diffusion rates by chorus and EMIC waves, based on statistics of their wave power distribution, to examine the role of those waves in the observed relativistic electron flux variations. We find that a significant supply of 100–300 keV electrons by plasma sheet injections together with chorus wave‐driven acceleration can overcome the rate of chorus and EMIC wave‐driven electron losses through pitch angle scattering toward the loss cone, explaining the observed net increase in electron fluxes. Our study emphasizes the importance of simultaneously taking into account resonant wave‐particle interactions and modeled local energy gradients of electron phase space density following injections, to accurately forecast the dynamical evolution of trapped electron fluxes.more » « less
