Resonant Scattering of Radiation Belt Electrons by Saturnian Z‐Mode Waves
Abstract We investigated the resonant interactions between Z‐mode waves and radiation belt electrons at Saturn via constructing an empirical model of the frequency spectral and wave normal angle distributions of 5 and 20 kHz Saturnian Z‐mode waves using Cassini observations. The results of the quasi...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
2025-03-01
|
| Series: | Geophysical Research Letters |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL114242 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850036157786619904 |
|---|---|
| author | Xing Cao Peng Lu Binbin Ni Shengyi Ye Siyuan Wu Minyi Long Shaobei Wang |
| author_facet | Xing Cao Peng Lu Binbin Ni Shengyi Ye Siyuan Wu Minyi Long Shaobei Wang |
| author_sort | Xing Cao |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract We investigated the resonant interactions between Z‐mode waves and radiation belt electrons at Saturn via constructing an empirical model of the frequency spectral and wave normal angle distributions of 5 and 20 kHz Saturnian Z‐mode waves using Cassini observations. The results of the quasi‐linear bounce‐averaged diffusion coefficients show that Saturnian Z‐mode waves efficiently scatter radiation belt electrons (with energies of up to several MeV), with the resonant pitch angle coverage narrowing with increasing L‐shell. Compared with 20 kHz waves, 5 kHz wave‐induced scattering occurs at higher electron energies with stronger efficiency. The results of Fokker‐Planck simulations showed that Z‐mode waves efficiently accelerate high‐energy electrons at intermediate pitch angles, contributing to the formation of a butterfly electron pitch angle distribution. Our results further the current understanding of the role of Z‐mode waves in the dynamics of Saturn's electron radiation belt. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-617ab37b2be74152b764a53dda4fd4f5 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 0094-8276 1944-8007 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Geophysical Research Letters |
| spelling | doaj-art-617ab37b2be74152b764a53dda4fd4f52025-08-20T02:57:17ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072025-03-01525n/an/a10.1029/2024GL114242Resonant Scattering of Radiation Belt Electrons by Saturnian Z‐Mode WavesXing Cao0Peng Lu1Binbin Ni2Shengyi Ye3Siyuan Wu4Minyi Long5Shaobei Wang6School of Earth and Space Science and Technology Wuhan University Wuhan ChinaSchool of Earth and Space Science and Technology Wuhan University Wuhan ChinaSchool of Earth and Space Science and Technology Wuhan University Wuhan ChinaDepartment of Earth and Space Sciences Southern University of Science and Technology Shenzhen ChinaDepartment of Earth and Space Sciences Southern University of Science and Technology Shenzhen ChinaSchool of Earth and Space Science and Technology Wuhan University Wuhan ChinaSchool of Earth and Space Science and Technology Wuhan University Wuhan ChinaAbstract We investigated the resonant interactions between Z‐mode waves and radiation belt electrons at Saturn via constructing an empirical model of the frequency spectral and wave normal angle distributions of 5 and 20 kHz Saturnian Z‐mode waves using Cassini observations. The results of the quasi‐linear bounce‐averaged diffusion coefficients show that Saturnian Z‐mode waves efficiently scatter radiation belt electrons (with energies of up to several MeV), with the resonant pitch angle coverage narrowing with increasing L‐shell. Compared with 20 kHz waves, 5 kHz wave‐induced scattering occurs at higher electron energies with stronger efficiency. The results of Fokker‐Planck simulations showed that Z‐mode waves efficiently accelerate high‐energy electrons at intermediate pitch angles, contributing to the formation of a butterfly electron pitch angle distribution. Our results further the current understanding of the role of Z‐mode waves in the dynamics of Saturn's electron radiation belt.https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL114242 |
| spellingShingle | Xing Cao Peng Lu Binbin Ni Shengyi Ye Siyuan Wu Minyi Long Shaobei Wang Resonant Scattering of Radiation Belt Electrons by Saturnian Z‐Mode Waves Geophysical Research Letters |
| title | Resonant Scattering of Radiation Belt Electrons by Saturnian Z‐Mode Waves |
| title_full | Resonant Scattering of Radiation Belt Electrons by Saturnian Z‐Mode Waves |
| title_fullStr | Resonant Scattering of Radiation Belt Electrons by Saturnian Z‐Mode Waves |
| title_full_unstemmed | Resonant Scattering of Radiation Belt Electrons by Saturnian Z‐Mode Waves |
| title_short | Resonant Scattering of Radiation Belt Electrons by Saturnian Z‐Mode Waves |
| title_sort | resonant scattering of radiation belt electrons by saturnian z mode waves |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL114242 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT xingcao resonantscatteringofradiationbeltelectronsbysaturnianzmodewaves AT penglu resonantscatteringofradiationbeltelectronsbysaturnianzmodewaves AT binbinni resonantscatteringofradiationbeltelectronsbysaturnianzmodewaves AT shengyiye resonantscatteringofradiationbeltelectronsbysaturnianzmodewaves AT siyuanwu resonantscatteringofradiationbeltelectronsbysaturnianzmodewaves AT minyilong resonantscatteringofradiationbeltelectronsbysaturnianzmodewaves AT shaobeiwang resonantscatteringofradiationbeltelectronsbysaturnianzmodewaves |