Cross‐Scale Interactions Between ULF Waves, VLF Waves, and Electrons

Abstract Wave‐particle interactions are essential for energy transport in the magnetosphere. In this study, we investigated an event during which electrons interact simultaneously with waves in different scales, using data from the Magnetospheric Multiscale mission. At the macroscale (∼105 km), drif...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Xing‐Yu Li, Qiu‐Gang Zong, Shan Wang, Xu‐Zhi Zhou, Chao Yue, Li Li, Zhi‐Yang Liu, Yong‐Fu Wang, Ze‐Fan Yin, Yi‐Xin Sun, Yi‐Xin Hao, Craig Pollock, Christopher T. Russell, Robert E. Ergun, Per‐Arne Lindqvist
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-05-01
Series:Geophysical Research Letters
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1029/2025GL115095
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Summary:Abstract Wave‐particle interactions are essential for energy transport in the magnetosphere. In this study, we investigated an event during which electrons interact simultaneously with waves in different scales, using data from the Magnetospheric Multiscale mission. At the macroscale (∼105 km), drift resonance between ultra‐low frequency (ULF) waves and 70–300 keV electrons is observed. At the microscale (∼100−101 km), lower‐band chorus waves and electron cyclotron harmonic (ECH) waves are alternately generated, showing signatures of modulation by ULF waves. We found that compressional ULF waves affect the temperature anisotropy of 1–10 keV electrons, thereby periodically exciting chorus waves. Through linear instability analysis, we propose that ULF waves modulate ECH wave emissions by regulating the gradient of electron phase space density at the edge of the loss cone. Our results enhance the understanding of cross‐scale wave‐particle interactions, highlighting their importance in magnetospheric dynamics.
ISSN:0094-8276
1944-8007