Journal article
Understanding the properties, wave drivers, and impacts of electron microburst precipitation: Current understanding and critical knowledge gaps
Frontiers in astronomy and space sciences, Vol.9, 1062422
11/03/2022
DOI: 10.3389/fspas.2022.1062422
Abstract
Microbursts are impulsive (< 1s) injections of very energetic to relativistic electrons (energies from a few keV to MeV) into Earth's atmosphere. They are important because they may represent a major loss process for the outer radiation belt (Ripoll and Claudepierre and Ukhorskiy and Colpitts and Li and Fennell and Crabtree, J. Geophys. Res. Space Physics, 2020, 125-e2019JA026735). Understanding and quantifying the underlying causes and consequences plus relative importance of microburst precipitation represent outstanding questions in radiation belt physics and may have significant implications ranging from space weather to atmospheric chemistry. Chorus waves are the likely dominant cause of microburst precipitation, but important questions remain regarding the exact nature of the resonance generating the microbursts and the overall importance of the precipitation. These important questions are limited by lack of systematic coordination of simultaneous observations of causative waves in the magnetosphere and resulting precipitating particles at low altitudes. Multi-spacecraft missions dedicated to answering these questions, themselves required to make progress in radiation belt physics, are critical.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Understanding the properties, wave drivers, and impacts of electron microburst precipitation: Current understanding and critical knowledge gaps
- Creators
- Sadie. S. S. Elliott - University of MinnesotaAaron Breneman - Goddard Space Flight CenterChristopher Colpitts - University of MinnesotaJacob Bortnik - University of California, Los AngelesAllison Jaynes - University of IowaAlexa Halford - Goddard Space Flight CenterMykhaylo Shumko - University of Maryland, College ParkLauren Blum - Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space PhysicsLunjin Chen - The University of Texas at DallasAshley Greeley - Goddard Space Flight CenterDrew Turner - Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Frontiers in astronomy and space sciences, Vol.9, 1062422
- DOI
- 10.3389/fspas.2022.1062422
- ISSN
- 2296-987X
- eISSN
- 2296-987X
- Publisher
- Frontiers Media Sa
- Number of pages
- 7
- Grant note
- 80NSSC19K0842 / NASA Heliophysics Supporting Research program HSR award Space Precipitation Impacts project at Goddard Space Flight Center through the Heliophysics Internal Science Funding Model
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 11/03/2022
- Academic Unit
- Physics and Astronomy; University College Courses
- Record Identifier
- 9984428679902771
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