Journal article
Observation of chorus waves by the Van Allen Probes: Dependence on solar wind parameters and scale size
Journal of geophysical research. Space physics, Vol.121(8), pp.7608-7621
08/2016
DOI: 10.1002/2016JA022775
Abstract
Highly energetic electrons in the Earth's Van Allen radiation belts can cause serious damage to spacecraft electronic systems and affect the atmospheric composition if they precipitate into the upper atmosphere. Whistler mode chorus waves have attracted significant attention in recent decades for their crucial role in the acceleration and loss of energetic electrons that ultimately change the dynamics of the radiation belts. The distribution of these waves in the inner magnetosphere is commonly presented as a function of geomagnetic activity. However, geomagnetic indices are nonspecific parameters that are compiled from imperfectly covered ground based measurements. The present study uses wave data from the two Van Allen Probes to present the distribution of lower band chorus waves not only as functions of single geomagnetic index and solar wind parameters but also as functions of combined parameters. Also the current study takes advantage of the unique equatorial orbit of the Van Allen Probes to estimate the average scale size of chorus wave packets, during close separations between the two spacecraft, as a function of radial distance, magnetic latitude, and geomagnetic activity, respectively. Results show that the average scale size of chorus wave packets is approximately 1300–2300 km. The results also show that the inclusion of combined parameters can provide better representation of the chorus wave distributions in the inner magnetosphere and therefore can further improve our knowledge of the acceleration and loss of radiation belt electrons.
Key Points
Distribution of chorus wave intensities in the inner magnetosphere observed by the Van Allen Probes
Scale size of chorus wave packets as a function of radial distance, magnetic latitude, and geomagnetic activity
Distribution of chorus wave intensities as a function of combined geomagnetic and solar wind parameters
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Observation of chorus waves by the Van Allen Probes: Dependence on solar wind parameters and scale size
- Creators
- Homayon Aryan - Goddard Space Flight CenterDavid Sibeck - Goddard Space Flight CenterMichael Balikhin - University of SheffieldOleksiy Agapitov - Taras Shevchenko National University of KyivCraig Kletzing - University of Iowa
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Journal of geophysical research. Space physics, Vol.121(8), pp.7608-7621
- DOI
- 10.1002/2016JA022775
- ISSN
- 2169-9380
- eISSN
- 2169-9402
- Number of pages
- 14
- Grant note
- NASA postdoctoral program Van Allen Probes program
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 08/2016
- Academic Unit
- Physics and Astronomy
- Record Identifier
- 9984199833902771
Metrics
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