Precipitation of radiation belt electrons by EMIC waves, observed from ground and space

We show evidence that left‐hand polarised electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) plasma waves can cause the loss of relativistic electrons into the atmosphere. Our unique set of ground and satellite observations shows coincident precipitation of ions with energies of tens of keV and of relativistic el...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Geophysical research letters 2008-12, Vol.35 (23), p.n/a
Main Authors: Miyoshi, Y., Sakaguchi, K., Shiokawa, K., Evans, D., Albert, J., Connors, M., Jordanova, V.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
CYCLOTRON RESONANCE
CYCLOTRONS
DIFFUSION
Earth sciences
Earth, ocean, space
ELECTRIC GROUNDS
ELECTRON PRECIPITATION
ELECTRONS
EMIC
Exact sciences and technology
GEOSCIENCES
INCLINATION
INTERACTIONS
ION CYCLOTRON-RESONANCE
IONS
outer radiation belt
PARTICLE INTERACTIONS
PLASMA INSTABILITY
PLASMA WAVES
PLASMAPAUSE
POLARIZATION
PRECIPITATION
PROTONS
RADIATION BELTS
SATELLITES
SPACE
wave-particle interactions
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Summary:We show evidence that left‐hand polarised electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) plasma waves can cause the loss of relativistic electrons into the atmosphere. Our unique set of ground and satellite observations shows coincident precipitation of ions with energies of tens of keV and of relativistic electrons into an isolated proton aurora. The coincident precipitation was produced by wave‐particle interactions with EMIC waves near the plasmapause. The estimation of pitch angle diffusion coefficients supports that the observed EMIC waves caused coincident precipitation of both ions and relativistic electrons. This study clarifies that ions with energies of tens of keV affect the evolution of relativistic electrons in the radiation belts via cyclotron resonance with EMIC waves, an effect that was first theoretically predicted in the early 1970′s.
ISSN:0094-8276
1944-8007
DOI:10.1029/2008GL035727