Wang D., Y. Y. Shprits, (2019), On How High-latitude Chorus Waves Tip the Balance between Acceleration and Loss of Relativistic Electrons, Geophysical Research Letters, doi:10.1029/2019GL082681

Abstract

Abstract Modelling and observations have shown that energy diffusion by chorus waves is an important source of acceleration of electrons to relativistic energies. By performing long-term simulations using the three-dimensional Versatile Electron Radiation Belt code, in this study, we test how the latitudinal dependence of chorus waves can affect the dynamics of the radiation belt electrons. Results show that the variability of chorus waves at high latitudes is critical for modelling of MeV electrons. We show that, depending on the latitudinal distribution of chorus waves under different geomagnetic conditions, they cannot only produce a net acceleration but also a net loss of MeV electrons. Decrease in high-latitude chorus waves can tip the balance between acceleration and loss towards acceleration, or alternatively, the increase in high-latitude waves can result in a net loss of MeV electrons. Variations in high-latitude chorus may account for some of the variability of MeV electrons.

Authors (sorted by name)

Shprits Wang

Journal / Conference

Geophysical Research Letters

Acknowledgments

All Van Allen Probes data used in this study were accessed through the website https://rbsp-ect.lanl.gov, and we graciously thank the MagEIS instrument team. The Kp index was provided by GFZ Section 2.3 and downloaded from the World Data Center (http://wdc.kugi.kyoto-u.ac.jp/). The Dst index was downloaded from the SPDF OMNI web. We sincerely acknowledge Adam Kellerman for the preparation of the used satellite data and the calculation of last closed drift shell. We would like to thank Alexander Drozdov, Nikita Aseev, and Hayley Allison for the useful discussions. This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 637302, NASA H-SR funding NNX15AI94G, Iowa NASA subcontract and the362Helmholtz-Gemeinshaft (HGF) [10.13039/501100001656]

Grants

637302 NNX15AI94G

Bibtex

@article{doi:10.1029/2019GL082681,
author = {Wang, Dedong and Shprits, Yuri Y.},
title = {On How High-latitude Chorus Waves Tip the Balance between Acceleration and Loss of Relativistic Electrons},
year={2019},
journal = {Geophysical Research Letters},
volume = {0},
number = {ja},
pages = {},
keywords = {radiation belts, chorus waves, high latitude, acceleration, loss, modeling},
doi = {10.1029/2019GL082681},
url = {https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1029/2019GL082681},
eprint = {https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1029/2019GL082681},
abstract = {Abstract Modelling and observations have shown that energy diffusion by chorus waves is an important source of acceleration of electrons to relativistic energies. By performing long-term simulations using the three-dimensional Versatile Electron Radiation Belt code, in this study, we test how the latitudinal dependence of chorus waves can affect the dynamics of the radiation belt electrons. Results show that the variability of chorus waves at high latitudes is critical for modelling of MeV electrons. We show that, depending on the latitudinal distribution of chorus waves under different geomagnetic conditions, they cannot only produce a net acceleration but also a net loss of MeV electrons. Decrease in high-latitude chorus waves can tip the balance between acceleration and loss towards acceleration, or alternatively, the increase in high-latitude waves can result in a net loss of MeV electrons. Variations in high-latitude chorus may account for some of the variability of MeV electrons.}
}