Precipitation of radiation belt electrons by EMIC waves with conjugated observations of NOAA and Van Allen satellites

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Abstract
In this letter, we present unique conjugated satellite observations of MeV relativistic electron precipitation caused by electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves. On the outer boundary of the plasmasphere, the Van Allen probe observed EMIC waves. At ionospheric altitudes, the NOAA 16 satellite at the footprint of Van Allen probe simultaneously detected obvious flux enhancements for precipitating >MeV radiation belt electrons, but not for precipitating MeV radiation belt electrons. Our result provides a direct magnetic conjugated observational link between in-situ inner magnetospheric EMIC waves and precipitation of MeV relativistic electrons at ionospheric altitudes so as to reveal that EMIC waves can solely scatter MeV radiation belt electrons into the loss cone so as to precipitate into the atmosphere.
Year of Publication
2018
Journal
Geophysical Research Letters
Date Published
11/2018
URL
https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2018GL080481
DOI
10.1029/2018GL080481
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