Journal article
Rapid local acceleration of relativistic radiation-belt electrons by magnetospheric chorus
Nature (London), Vol.504(7480), pp.411-414
12/19/2013
DOI: 10.1038/nature12889
PMID: 24352287
Abstract
Recent analysis of satellite data obtained during the 9 October 2012 geomagnetic storm identified the development of peaks in electron phase space density, which are compelling evidence for local electron acceleration in the heart of the outer radiation belt, but are inconsistent with acceleration by inward radial diffusive transport. However, the precise physical mechanism responsible for the acceleration on 9 October was not identified. Previous modelling has indicated that a magnetospheric electromagnetic emission known as chorus could be a potential candidate for local electron acceleration, but a definitive resolution of the importance of chorus for radiation-belt acceleration was not possible because of limitations in the energy range and resolution of previous electron observations and the lack of a dynamic global wave model. Here we report high-resolution electron observations obtained during the 9 October storm and demonstrate, using a two-dimensional simulation performed with a recently developed time-varying data-driven model, that chorus scattering explains the temporal evolution of both the energy and angular distribution of the observed relativistic electron flux increase. Our detailed modelling demonstrates the remarkable efficiency of wave acceleration in the Earth's outer radiation belt, and the results presented have potential application to Jupiter, Saturn and other magnetized astrophysical objects.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Rapid local acceleration of relativistic radiation-belt electrons by magnetospheric chorus
- Creators
- R M Thorne - University of California, Los AngelesW Li - University of California, Los AngelesB Ni - University of California, Los AngelesQ Ma - University of California, Los AngelesJ Bortnik - University of California, Los AngelesL Chen - University of California, Los AngelesD N Baker - University of Colorado BoulderH E Spence - University of New HampshireG D Reeves - Los Alamos National LaboratoryM G Henderson - Los Alamos National LaboratoryC A Kletzing - University of IowaW S Kurth - University of IowaG B Hospodarsky - University of IowaJ B Blake - The Aerospace CorporationJ F Fennell - The Aerospace CorporationS G Claudepierre - The Aerospace CorporationS G Kanekal - Goddard Space Flight Center
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Nature (London), Vol.504(7480), pp.411-414
- DOI
- 10.1038/nature12889
- PMID
- 24352287
- ISSN
- 0028-0836
- eISSN
- 1476-4687
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 12/19/2013
- Academic Unit
- Physics and Astronomy
- Record Identifier
- 9984199788502771
Metrics
22 Record Views