Applying the cold plasma dispersion relation to whistler mode chorus waves: EMFISIS wave measurements from the Van Allen Probes

Dave Hartley; Yue Chen; C. A Kletzing; Michael Denton; William Kurth

doi:10.1002/2014JA020808

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Applying the cold plasma dispersion relation to whistler mode chorus waves: EMFISIS wave measurements from the Van Allen Probes

Journal article

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Applying the cold plasma dispersion relation to whistler mode chorus waves: EMFISIS wave measurements from the Van Allen Probes

Dave Hartley, Yue Chen, C. A Kletzing, Michael Denton and William Kurth

Journal of Geophysical Research. Space Physics, Vol.120(2), pp.1144-1152

02/01/2015

DOI: 10.1002/2014JA020808

PMCID: PMC4497456

PMID: 26167444

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Abstract

Most theoretical wave models require the power in the wave magnetic field in order to determine the effect of chorus waves on radiation belt electrons. However, researchers typically use the cold plasma dispersion relation to approximate the magnetic wave power when only electric field data are available. In this study, the validity of using the cold plasma dispersion relation in this context is tested using Electric and Magnetic Field Instrument Suite and Integrated Science (EMFISIS) observations of both the electric and magnetic spectral intensities in the chorus wave band (0.1–0.9 fce). Results from this study indicate that the calculated wave intensity is least accurate during periods of enhanced wave activity. For observed wave intensities >10−3 nT2, using the cold plasma dispersion relation results in an underestimate of the wave intensity by a factor of 2 or greater 56% of the time over the full chorus wave band, 60% of the time for lower band chorus, and 59% of the time for upper band chorus. Hence, during active periods, empirical chorus wave models that are reliant on the cold plasma dispersion relation will underestimate chorus wave intensities to a significant degree, thus causing questionable calculation of wave-particle resonance effects on MeV electrons.

Physics

chorus waves

energetic electrons

particle interactions

radiation belts

Research Articles

Space Physics

Van Allen Probes

wave

Details

Title: Subtitle: Applying the cold plasma dispersion relation to whistler mode chorus waves: EMFISIS wave measurements from the Van Allen Probes
Creators: Dave Hartley - Lancaster University
Yue Chen - Los Alamos National Laboratory
C. A Kletzing - University of Iowa
Michael Denton - Space Science Institute
William Kurth - University of Iowa
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Journal of Geophysical Research. Space Physics, Vol.120(2), pp.1144-1152
DOI: 10.1002/2014JA020808
PMID: 26167444
PMCID: PMC4497456
NLM abbreviation: J Geophys Res Space Phys
ISSN: 2169-9380
eISSN: 2169-9402
Publisher: BlackWell Publishing Ltd
Grant note: 1131871 / National Science Foundation (nsf_________::NSF)
Language: English
Date published: 02/01/2015
Academic Unit: Physics and Astronomy
Record Identifier: 9984199684802771

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