Strong enhancement of 10–100 keV electron fluxes by combined effects of chorus waves and time domain structures

Abstract Time domain structures (TDSs) are trains of intense electric field spikes observed in large numbers during plasma injections in the outer radiation belt. Here we explore the question of their importance in energetic electron acceleration and loss in this region. Although the most common TDS...

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Main Authors: Qianli Ma, Didier Mourenas, Anton Artemyev, Wen Li, Richard M. Thorne, Jacob Bortnik
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2016-05-01
Series:Geophysical Research Letters
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/2016GL069125
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author Qianli Ma
Didier Mourenas
Anton Artemyev
Wen Li
Richard M. Thorne
Jacob Bortnik
author_facet Qianli Ma
Didier Mourenas
Anton Artemyev
Wen Li
Richard M. Thorne
Jacob Bortnik
author_sort Qianli Ma
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Time domain structures (TDSs) are trains of intense electric field spikes observed in large numbers during plasma injections in the outer radiation belt. Here we explore the question of their importance in energetic electron acceleration and loss in this region. Although the most common TDSs can preaccelerate low‐energy electrons up to 1–5 keV energies, they often cannot produce by themselves the seed population of 30–150 keV electrons, which are needed for a subsequent energization up to relativistic energies during storms or substorms. However, we demonstrate by numerical simulations that modifications of the low‐energy electron pitch angle and energy distributions due to interactions with TDS lead to more efficient scattering of electrons by chorus waves toward both higher and lower pitch angles, ultimately leading to both significantly higher fluxes in the 10–100 keV energy range and more intense 1–100 keV precipitation into the atmosphere, potentially affecting the outer radiation belt dynamics.
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institution OA Journals
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publishDate 2016-05-01
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series Geophysical Research Letters
spelling doaj-art-46564a3b7b60474b9fdd34c3882fefcd2025-08-20T02:31:41ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072016-05-0143104683469010.1002/2016GL069125Strong enhancement of 10–100 keV electron fluxes by combined effects of chorus waves and time domain structuresQianli Ma0Didier Mourenas1Anton Artemyev2Wen Li3Richard M. Thorne4Jacob Bortnik5Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences University of California Los Angeles California USACEA, DAM, DIF Arpajon FranceDepartment of Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences University of California Los Angeles California USADepartment of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences University of California Los Angeles California USADepartment of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences University of California Los Angeles California USADepartment of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences University of California Los Angeles California USAAbstract Time domain structures (TDSs) are trains of intense electric field spikes observed in large numbers during plasma injections in the outer radiation belt. Here we explore the question of their importance in energetic electron acceleration and loss in this region. Although the most common TDSs can preaccelerate low‐energy electrons up to 1–5 keV energies, they often cannot produce by themselves the seed population of 30–150 keV electrons, which are needed for a subsequent energization up to relativistic energies during storms or substorms. However, we demonstrate by numerical simulations that modifications of the low‐energy electron pitch angle and energy distributions due to interactions with TDS lead to more efficient scattering of electrons by chorus waves toward both higher and lower pitch angles, ultimately leading to both significantly higher fluxes in the 10–100 keV energy range and more intense 1–100 keV precipitation into the atmosphere, potentially affecting the outer radiation belt dynamics.https://doi.org/10.1002/2016GL069125time domain structureschorus wave accelerationelectron seed populationelectron precipitation
spellingShingle Qianli Ma
Didier Mourenas
Anton Artemyev
Wen Li
Richard M. Thorne
Jacob Bortnik
Strong enhancement of 10–100 keV electron fluxes by combined effects of chorus waves and time domain structures
Geophysical Research Letters
time domain structures
chorus wave acceleration
electron seed population
electron precipitation
title Strong enhancement of 10–100 keV electron fluxes by combined effects of chorus waves and time domain structures
title_full Strong enhancement of 10–100 keV electron fluxes by combined effects of chorus waves and time domain structures
title_fullStr Strong enhancement of 10–100 keV electron fluxes by combined effects of chorus waves and time domain structures
title_full_unstemmed Strong enhancement of 10–100 keV electron fluxes by combined effects of chorus waves and time domain structures
title_short Strong enhancement of 10–100 keV electron fluxes by combined effects of chorus waves and time domain structures
title_sort strong enhancement of 10 100 kev electron fluxes by combined effects of chorus waves and time domain structures
topic time domain structures
chorus wave acceleration
electron seed population
electron precipitation
url https://doi.org/10.1002/2016GL069125
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