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Found 80 entries in the Bibliography.
Showing entries from 51 through 80
| 2018 |
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During the 13-14 November 2012 storm, Van Allen Probe A simultaneously observed a 10-h period of enhanced chorus (including quasi-parallel and oblique propagation components) and relativistic electron fluxes over a broad range of L = 3-6 and MLT=2 - 10 within a complete orbit cycle. By adopting a Gaussian fit to the observed wave spectra, we obtain the wave parameters and calculate the bounce-averaged diffusion coefficients. We solve the Fokker-Planck diffusion equation to simulate flux evolutions of relativistic (1.8-4.2 MeV) electrons during two intervals when Probe A passed the location L = 4.3 along its orbit. The simulating results show that chorus with combined quasi-parallel and oblique components can produce a more pronounced flux enhancement in the pitch angle range \~45o-80o, consistent well with the observation. The current results provide the first evidence on how relativistic electron fluxes vary under the drive of almost continuously distributed chorus with both quasi-parallel and oblique components within a complete orbit of Van Allen Probe. Yang, Chang; Xiao, Fuliang; He, Yihua; Liu, Si; Zhou, Qinghua; Guo, Mingyue; Zhao, Wanli; Published by: Geophysical Research Letters Published on: 02/2018 YEAR: 2018 DOI: 10.1002/2017GL075894 energetic electron; Geomagnetic storm; outer radiation belt; Van Allen Probes; Wave-particle interaction; whistler-mode chorus wave |
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Based on the wave and proton observations by Van Allen Probes A and B, we examined the effects of hot protons (0.01\textendash50 keV) on fast magnetosonic (MS) waves inside and outside the Earth\textquoterights plasmasphere. In the low-density plasma trough outside the plasmapause, the gyroresonance interactions between hot protons and MS waves not only cause the MS wave growth at some frequencies but also lead to the damping of MS waves at other frequencies, which depends on the proton phase space density gradient and the ambient plasma density. The gyroresonance of the observed hot protons cannot excite MS waves near the lower hybrid resonance frequency and even causes the MS wave damping. Thus, the frequencies of the observed MS waves outside the plasmapause are usually lower than the lower hybrid resonance frequency. In the high-density plasmasphere, the observed hot protons merely lead to the weak gyrodamping of MS waves. The persistent existence of lower band MS waves indicates that the weak gyrodamping effect of hot protons on MS waves is ignorable in the high-density plasmasphere. Liu, Bin; Li, Liuyuan; Yu, Jiang; Cao, Jinbin; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 01/2018 YEAR: 2018 DOI: 10.1002/2017JA024676 damping of magnetosonic waves; growth of magnetosonic waves; magnetosonic waves; magnetospheric hot protons; Van Allen Probes; wave-particle interactions |
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Fast Magnetosonic Waves Observed by Van Allen Probes: Testing Local Wave Excitation Mechanism Linear Vlasov theory and particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations for electromagnetic fluctuations in a homogeneous, magnetized, and collisionless plasma are used to investigate a fast magnetosonic wave event observed by the Van Allen Probes. The fluctuating magnetic field observed exhibits a series of spectral peaks at harmonics of the proton cyclotron frequency Ωp and has a dominant compressional component, which can be classified as fast magnetosonic waves. Furthermore, the simultaneously observed proton phase space density exhibits positive slopes in the perpendicular velocity space, ∂fp/∂v⊥>0, which can be a source for these waves. Linear theory analyses and PIC simulations use plasma and field parameters measured in situ except that the modeled proton distribution is modified to have larger ∂fp/∂v⊥ under the assumption that the observed distribution corresponds to a marginally stable state when the distribution has already been scattered by the excited waves. The results show that the positive slope is the source of the proton cyclotron harmonic waves at propagation quasi-perpendicular to the background magnetic field, and as a result of interactions with the excited waves the evolving proton distribution progresses approximately toward the observed distribution. Min, Kyungguk; Liu, Kaijun; Wang, Xueyi; Chen, Lunjin; Denton, Richard; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 01/2018 YEAR: 2018 DOI: 10.1002/2017JA024867 Fast Magnetosonic Waves; inner magnetosphere; observation-simulation comparison; Van Allen Probes; wave excitation |
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Large-Amplitude Extremely Low Frequency Hiss Waves in Plasmaspheric Plumes Su, Zhenpeng; Liu, Nigang; Zheng, Huinan; Wang, Yuming; Wang, Shui; Published by: Geophysical Research Letters Published on: 01/2018 YEAR: 2018 DOI: 10.1002/2017GL076754 electron instability; ELF hiss; generation mechanism; pitch angle scattering; precipitation loss; Radiation belt; Van Allen Probes |
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The effect of the plasmapause on equatorially radially propagating fast magnetosonic (MS) waves in the Earth\textquoterights dipole magnetic field is studied by using finite difference time domain method. We run 1-D simulation for three different density profiles: (1) no plasmapause, (2) with a plasmapause, and (3) with a plasmapause accompanied with fine-scale density irregularity. We find that (1) without plasmapause the radially inward propagating MS wave can reach ionosphere and continuously propagate to lower altitude if no damping mechanism is considered. The wave properties follow the cold plasma dispersion relation locally along its trajectory. (2) For simulation with a plasmapause with a scale length of 0.006 RE compared to wavelength, only a small fraction of the MS wave power is reflected by the plasmapause. WKB approximation is generally valid for such plasmapause. (3) The multiple fine-scale density irregularities near the outer edge of plasmapause can effectively block the MS wave propagation, resulting in a terminating boundary for MS waves near the plasmapause. Liu, Xu; Chen, Lunjin; Yang, Lixia; Xia, Zhiyang; Malaspina, David; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 01/2018 YEAR: 2018 DOI: 10.1002/2017JA024336 fine-scale density structure; finite difference time domain; magnetosonic wave; Plasmapause; Van Allen Probes |
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Magnetosonic waves are highly oblique whistler mode emissions transferring energy from the ring current protons to the radiation belt electrons in the inner magnetosphere. Here we present the first report of prompt disappearance and emergence of magnetosonic waves induced by the solar wind dynamic pressure variations. The solar wind dynamic pressure reduction caused the magnetosphere expansion, adiabatically decelerated the ring current protons for the Bernstein mode instability, and produced the prompt disappearance of magnetosonic waves. On the contrary, because of the adiabatic acceleration of the ring current protons by the solar wind dynamic pressure enhancement, magnetosonic waves emerged suddenly. In the absence of impulsive injections of hot protons, magnetosonic waves were observable even only during the time period with the enhanced solar wind dynamic pressure. Our results demonstrate that the solar wind dynamic pressure is an essential parameter for modeling of magnetosonic waves and their effect on the radiation belt electrons. Liu, Nigang; Su, Zhenpeng; Zheng, Huinan; Wang, Yuming; Wang, Shui; Published by: Geophysical Research Letters Published on: 01/2018 YEAR: 2018 DOI: 10.1002/2017GL076382 magnetosonic waves; Radiation belt; ring current; solar wind dynamic pressure; Van Allen Probes; Wave-particle interaction |
| 2017 |
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Plasmaspheric hiss is an extremely low frequency whistler-mode emission contributing significantly to the loss of radiation belt electrons. There are two main competing mechanisms for the generation of plasmaspheric hiss: excitation by local instability in the outer plasmasphere and origination from chorus outside the plasmasphere. Here, on the basis of the analysis of an event of shock-induced disappearance and subsequent recovery of plasmaspheric hiss observed by RBSP, THEMIS and POES missions, we attempt to identify its dominant generation mechanism. In the pre-shock plasmasphere, the local electron instability was relatively weak and the hiss waves with bidirectional Poynting fluxes mainly originated from the dayside chorus waves. On arrival of the shock, the removal of pre-existing dayside chorus and the insignificant variation of low-frequency wave instability caused the prompt disappearance of hiss waves. In the next few hours, the local instability in the plasmasphere was greatly enhanced due to the substorm injection of hot electrons. The enhancement of local instability likely played a dominant role in the temporary recovery of hiss with unidirectional Poynting fluxes. These temporarily recovered hiss waves were generated near the equator and then propagated toward higher latitudes. In contrast, both the enhancement of local instability and the recurrence of pre-noon chorus contributed to the substantial recovery of hiss with bidirectional Poynting fluxes. Liu, Nigang; Su, Zhenpeng; Gao, Zhonglei; Reeves, G.; Zheng, Huinan; Wang, Yuming; Wang, Shui; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 10/2017 YEAR: 2017 DOI: 10.1002/2017JA024470 Chorus; interplanetary shock; Plasmaspheric Hiss; Radiation belt; substorm injection; Van Allen Probes; Wave-particle interaction |
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Previous theoretical studies have shown that dayside chorus can produce butterfly distribution of energetic electrons in the Earth\textquoterights radiation belts by preferentially accelerating medium pitch angle electrons, but this requires the further confirmation from high-resolution satellite observation. Here, we report correlated Van Allen Probes data on wave and particle during the 11\textendash13 April, 2014 geomagnetic storm. We find that a butterfly pitch angle distribution of relativistic electrons is formed around the location L = 4.52, corresponding to the presence of enhanced dayside chorus. Using a Gaussian distribution fit to the observed chorus spectra, we calculate the bounce-averaged diffusion rates and solve two-dimensional Fokker-Planck equation. Numerical results demonstrate that acceleration by dayside chorus can yield the electron flux evolution both in the energy and butterfly pitch angle distribution comparable to the observation, providing a further evidence for the formation of butterfly distribution of relativistic electrons driven by very low frequency (VLF) plasma waves. Jin, YuYue; Yang, Chang; He, Yihua; Liu, Si; Zhou, Qinghua; Xiao, Fuliang; Published by: Science China Technological Sciences Published on: 09/2017 YEAR: 2017 DOI: 10.1007/s11431-017-9067-y butterfly distribution relativistic electrons radiation belts wave-particle interaction dayside chorus; Van Allen Probes |
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Direct observation of generation and propagation of magnetosonic waves following substorm injection Magnetosonic whistler mode waves play an important role in the radiation belt electron dynamics. Previous theory has suggested that these waves are excited by the ring distributions of hot protons and can propagate radially and azimuthally over a broad spatial range. However, because of the challenging requirements on satellite locations and data-processing techniques, this theory was difficult to validate directly. Here we present some experimental tests of the theory on the basis of Van Allen Probes observations of magnetosonic waves following substorm injections. At higher L-shells with significant substorm injections, the discrete magnetosonic emission lines started approximately at the proton gyrofrequency harmonics, qualitatively consistent with the prediction of linear proton Bernstein mode instability. In the frequency-time spectrograms, these emission lines exhibited a clear rising tone characteristic with a long duration of 15-25 mins, implying the additional contribution of other undiscovered mechanisms. Nearly at the same time, the magnetosonic waves arose at lower L-shells without substorm injections. The wave signals at two different locations, separated by ΔL up to 2.0 and by ΔMLT up to 4.2, displayed the consistent frequency-time structures, strongly supporting the hypothesis about the radial and azimuthal propagation of magnetosonic waves. Su, Zhenpeng; Wang, Geng; Liu, Nigang; Zheng, Huinan; Wang, Yuming; Wang, Shui; Published by: Geophysical Research Letters Published on: 07/2018 YEAR: 2017 DOI: 10.1002/2017GL074362 Bernstein mode instability; magnetosonic waves; Radiation belt; rising tone; substorm injection; Van Allen Probes; Wave-particle interaction |
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We present an analysis of \textquotedblleftboomerang-shaped\textquotedblright pitch angle evolutions of outer radiation belt relativistic electrons observed by the Van Allen Probes after the passage of an interplanetary shock on June 7th, 2014. The flux at different pitch angles is modulated by Pc5 waves, with equatorially mirroring electrons reaching the satellite first. For 90o pitch angle electrons, the phase change of the flux modulations across energy exceeds 180o, and increasingly tilts with time. Using estimates of the arrival time of particles of different pitch angles at the spacecraft location, a scenario is investigated in which shock-induced ULF waves interact with electrons through the drift resonance mechanism in a localized region westward of the spacecraft. Numerical calculations on particle energy gain with the modified ULF wave field reproduce the observed boomerang stripes and modulations in the electron energy spectrogram. The study of boomerang stripes and their relationship to drift-resonance taking place at a location different from the observation point adds new understanding of the processes controlling the dynamics of the outer radiation belt. Hao, Y.; Zong, Q.-G.; Zhou, X.-Z.; Rankin, R.; Chen, X.; Liu, Y.; Fu, S; Spence, H.; Blake, J.; Reeves, G.; Published by: Geophysical Research Letters Published on: 07/2017 YEAR: 2017 DOI: 10.1002/2017GL074006 drift resonance; interplanetary shock; localized waves; Radiation belts; ULF waves; Van Allen Probes; Wave-particle interaction |
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On the Relationship Between Electron Flux Oscillations and ULF Wave-Driven Radial Transport The objective of this study is to investigate the relationship between the levels of electron flux oscillations and radial diffusion for different Phase Space Density (PSD) gradients, through observation and particle tracing simulations under the effect of model Ultra Low Frequency (ULF) fluctuations. This investigation aims to demonstrate that electron flux oscillation is associated with and could be used as an indicator of ongoing radial diffusion. To this direction, flux oscillations are observed through the Van Allen Probes\textquoteright MagEIS energetic particle detector; subsequently, flux oscillations are produced in a particle tracing model that simulates radial diffusion by using model magnetic and electric field fluctuations that are approximating measured magnetic and electric field fluctuations as recorded by the Van Allen Probes\textquoteright EMFISIS and EFW instruments, respectively. The flux oscillation amplitudes are then correlated with Phase Space Density gradients in the magnetosphere and with the ongoing radial diffusion process. Sarris, Theodore; Li, Xinlin; Temerin, Michael; Zhao, Hong; Califf, Sam; Liu, Wenlong; Ergun, Robert; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 06/2017 YEAR: 2017 DOI: 10.1002/2016JA023741 Flux Oscillations; MAGEis; EMFISIS; EFW; Phase space density; radial diffusion; Radiation belts; Van Allen Probes |
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Electrostatic electron cyclotron harmonic (ECH) waves generated by the electron loss cone distribution can produce efficient scattering loss of plasma sheet electrons, which has a significant effect on the dynamics in the outer magnetosphere. Here we report two ECH emission events around the same location L≈ 5.7\textendash5.8, MLT ≈ 12 from Van Allen Probes on 11 February (event A) and 9 January 2014 (event B), respectively. The spectrum of ECH waves was centered at the lower half of the harmonic bands during event A, but the upper half during event B. The observed electron phase space density in both events is fitted by the subtracted bi-Maxwellian distribution, and the fitting functions are used to evaluate the local growth rates of ECH waves based on a linear theory for homogeneous plasmas. ECH waves are excited by the loss cone instability of 50 eV\textendash1 keV electrons in the lower half of harmonic bands in the low-density plasmasphere in event A, and 1\textendash10 keV electrons in the upper half of harmonic bands in a relatively high-density region in event B. The current results successfully explain observations and provide a first direct evidence on how ECH waves are generated in the lower and upper half of harmonic frequency bands. Zhou, Qinghua; Xiao, Fuliang; Yang, Chang; Liu, Si; He, Yihua; Baker, D.; Spence, H.; Reeves, G.; Funsten, H.; Published by: Geophysical Research Letters Published on: 05/2017 YEAR: 2017 DOI: 10.1002/2017GL073051 ECH waves; RBSP results; Van Allen Probes; Wave-particle interaction |
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Ion Bernstein instability as a possible source for oxygen ion cyclotron harmonic waves This paper demonstrates that an ion Bernstein instability can be a possible source for recently reported electromagnetic waves with frequencies at or near the singly ionized oxygen ion cyclotron frequency, inline image, and its harmonics. The particle measurements during strong wave activity revealed a relatively high concentration of oxygen ions (\~15\%) whose phase space density exhibits a local peak at energy \~20 keV. Given that the electron plasma-to-cyclotron frequency ratio is inline image, this energy corresponds to the particle speed inline image, where vA is the oxygen Alfv\ en speed. Using the observational key plasma parameters, a simplified ion velocity distribution is constructed, where the local peak in the oxygen ion velocity distribution is represented by an isotropic shell distribution. Kinetic linear dispersion theory then predicts unstable Bernstein modes at or near the harmonics of inline image and at propagation quasi-perpendicular to the background magnetic field, B0. If the cold ions are mostly protons, these unstable modes are characterized by a low compressibility ( inline image), a small phase speed (vph\~0.2vA), a relatively small ratio of the electric field energy to the magnetic field energy (between 10-4 and 10-3), and the Poynting vector directed almost parallel to B0. These linear properties are overall in good agreement with the properties of the observed waves. We demonstrate that superposition of the predicted unstable Bernstein modes at quasi-perpendicular propagation can produce the observed polarization properties, including the minimum variance direction on average almost parallel to B0. Min, Kyungguk; Denton, Richard; Liu, Kaijun; Gary, Peter; Spence, Harlan; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 05/2017 YEAR: 2017 DOI: 10.1002/2017JA023979 O+ Bernstein instability; O+ harmonic waves; O+ ring distribution; Van Allen Probes |
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We investigate a quiet-time event of magnetospheric Pc5 ultra low frequency (ULF) waves and their likely external drivers using multiple spacecraft observations. Enhancements of electric and magnetic field perturbations in two narrow frequency bands, 1.5-2 mHz and 3.5-4 mHz, were observed over a large radial distance range from r ~5 to 11 RE. During the first half of this event, perturbations were mainly observed in the transverse components and only in the 3.5-4 mHz band. In comparison, enhancements were stronger during the second half in both transverse and compressional components and in both frequency bands. No indication of field line resonances was found for these magnetic field perturbations. Perturbations in these two bands were also observed in the magnetosheath, but not in the solar wind dynamic pressure perturbations. For the first interval, good correlations between the flow perturbations in the magnetosphere and magnetosheath and an indirect signature for Kelvin-Helmholtz (K-H) vortices suggest K-H surface waves as the driver. For the second interval, good correlations are found between the magnetosheath dynamic pressure perturbations, magnetopause deformation, and magnetospheric waves, all in good correspondence to IMF discontinuities. The characteristics of these perturbations can be explained by being driven by foreshock perturbations resulting from these IMF discontinuities. This event shows that even during quiet periods, KH-unstable magnetopause and ion foreshock perturbations can combine to create a highly dynamic magnetospheric ULF wave environment. Wang, Chih-Ping; Thorne, Richard; Liu, Terry; Hartinger, Michael; Nagai, Tsugunobu; Angelopoulos, Vassilis; Wygant, John; Breneman, Aaron; Kletzing, Craig; Reeves, Geoffrey; Claudepierre, Seth; Spence, Harlan; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 04/2017 YEAR: 2017 DOI: 10.1002/2016JA023610 IMF discontinuity; inner magnetosphere; Kelvin-Helmholtz vortices; magnetosheath; Pc5 waves; plasma sheet; Van Allen Probes |
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Generation of extremely low frequency chorus in Van Allen radiation belts Recent studies have shown that chorus can efficiently accelerate the outer radiation belt electrons to relativistic energies. Chorus, previously often observed above 0.1 equatorial electron gyrofrequency fce, was generated by energetic electrons originating from Earth\textquoterights plasma sheet. Chorus below 0.1 fce has seldom been reported until the recent data from Van Allen Probes, but its origin has not been revealed so far. Because electron resonant energy can approach the relativistic level at extremely low frequency, relativistic effects should be considered in the formula for whistler mode wave growth rate. Here we report high-resolution observations during the 14 October 2014 small storm and firstly demonstrate, using a fully relativistic simulation, that electrons with the high-energy tail population and relativistic pitch angle anisotropy can provide free energy sufficient for generating chorus below 0.1 fce. The simulated wave growth displays a very similar pattern to the observations. The current results can be applied to Jupiter, Saturn, and other magnetized planets. Xiao, Fuliang; Liu, Si; Tao, Xin; Su, Zhenpeng; Zhou, Qinghua; Yang, Chang; He, Zhaoguo; He, Yihua; Gao, Zhonglei; Baker, D.; Spence, H.; Reeves, G.; Funsten, H.; Blake, J.; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 03/2017 YEAR: 2017 DOI: 10.1002/2016JA023561 ELF chorus waves; RBSP results; relativistic distribution; Van Allen Probes; Wave-particle interaction |
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Magnetospheric whistler mode waves are of great importance in the radiation belt electron dynamics. Here on the basis of the analysis of a rare event with the simultaneous disappearances of whistler mode plasmaspheric hiss, exohiss, and chorus triggered by a sudden decrease in the solar wind dynamic pressure, we provide evidences for the following physical scenarios: (1) nonlinear generation of chorus controlled by the geomagnetic field inhomogeneity, (2) origination of plasmaspheric hiss from chorus, and (3) leakage of plasmaspheric hiss into exohiss. Following the reduction of the solar wind dynamic pressure, the dayside geomagnetic field configuration with the enhanced inhomogeneity became unfavorable for the generation of chorus, and the quenching of chorus directly caused the disappearances of plasmaspheric hiss and then exohiss. Liu, Nigang; Su, Zhenpeng; Gao, Zhonglei; Zheng, Huinan; Wang, Yuming; Wang, Shui; Spence, H.; Reeves, G.; Baker, D.; Blake, J.; Funsten, H.; Wygant, J.; Published by: Geophysical Research Letters Published on: 01/2017 YEAR: 2017 DOI: 10.1002/2016GL071987 Chorus; Exohiss; Plasmaspheric Hiss; Van Allen Probes; wave disappearance; wave generation |
| 2016 |
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Explaining occurrences of auroral kilometric radiation in Van Allen radiation belts Auroral kilometric radiation (AKR) is a strong terrestrial radio emission and dominates at higher latitudes because of reflection in vicinities of the source cavity and plasmapause. Recently, Van Allen Probes have observed occurrences of AKR emission in the equatorial region of Earth\textquoterights radiation belts but its origin still remains an open question. Equatorial AKR can produce efficient acceleration of radiation belt electrons and is a risk to space weather. Here we report high-resolution observations during two small storm periods 4\textendash6 April and 18\textendash20 May 2013 and show, using a 3-D ray tracing simulation, that AKR can propagate downward all the way into the equatorial plane in the radiation belts under appropriate conditions. The simulated results can successfully explain the observed AKR\textquoterights spatial distribution and frequency range, and the current results have a wide application to all other magnetized astrophysical objects in the universe. Xiao, Fuliang; Zhou, Qinghua; Su, Zhenpeng; He, Zhaoguo; Yang, Chang; Liu, Si; He, Yihua; Gao, Zhonglei; Published by: Geophysical Research Letters Published on: 12/2016 YEAR: 2016 DOI: 10.1002/2016GL071728 AKR emissions; Geomagnetic storms; Radiation belts; ray tracing simulations; satellite data; Van Allen Probes |
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Compressional ULF wave modulation of energetic particles in the inner magnetosphere We present Van Allen Probes observations of modulations in the flux of very energetic electrons up to a few MeV and protons between 1200 - 1400 UT on February 19th, 2014. During this event the spacecraft were in the dayside magnetosphere at L*≈5.5. The modulations extended across a wide range of particle energies, from 79.80 keV to 2.85 MeV for electrons and from 82.85 keV to 636.18 keV for protons. The fluxes of π/2 pitch angle particles were observed to attain maximum values simultaneously with the ULF compressional magnetic field component reaching a minimum. We use peak-to-valley ratios to quantify the strength of the modulation effect, finding that the modulation is larger at higher energies than at lower energies. It is shown that the compressional wave modulation of the particle distribution is due to the mirror effect, which can trap relativistic electrons efficiently for energies up to 2.85 MeV, and trap protons up to ≈600 keV. Larger peak-to-valley ratios at higher energies also attributed to the mirror effect. Finally, we suggest that protons with energies higher than 636.18 keV can not be trapped by the compressional ULF wave efficiently due to the finite Larmor radius effect. Liu, H.; Zong, Q.-G.; Zhou, X.-Z.; Fu, S; Rankin, R.; Wang, L.-H.; Yuan, C.; Wang, Y.; Baker, D.; Blake, J.; Kletzing, C.; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 05/2016 YEAR: 2016 DOI: 10.1002/2016JA022706 Compressional ULF wave; energetic particles; Magnetosphere; Mirror effect; Modulation; relativistic electrons; Van Allen Probes |
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Evolution of chorus emissions into plasmaspheric hiss observed by Van Allen Probes The two classes of whistler mode waves (chorus and hiss) play different roles in the dynamics of radiation belt energetic electrons. Chorus can efficiently accelerate energetic electrons, and hiss is responsible for the loss of energetic electrons. Previous studies have proposed that chorus is the source of plasmaspheric hiss, but this still requires an observational confirmation because the previously observed chorus and hiss emissions were not in the same frequency range in the same time. Here we report simultaneous observations form Van Allen Probes that chorus and hiss emissions occurred in the same range \~300\textendash1500 Hz with the peak wave power density about 10-5 nT2/Hz during a weak storm on 3 July 2014. Chorus emissions propagate in a broad region outside the plasmapause. Meanwhile, hiss emissions are confined inside the plasmasphere, with a higher intensity and a broader area at a lower frequency. A sum of bi-Maxwellian distribution is used to model the observed anisotropic electron distributions and to evaluate the instability of waves. A three-dimensional ray tracing simulation shows that a portion of chorus emission outside the plasmasphere can propagate into the plasmasphere and evolve into plasmaspheric hiss. Moreover, hiss waves below 1 kHz are more intense and propagate over a broader area than those above 1 kHz, consistent with the observation. The current results can explain distributions of the observed hiss emission and provide a further support for the mechanism of evolution of chorus into hiss emissions. Zhou, Qinghua; Xiao, Fuliang; Yang, Chang; Liu, Si; He, Yihua; Wygant, J.; Baker, D.; Spence, H.; Reeves, G.; Funsten, H.; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 05/2016 YEAR: 2016 DOI: 10.1002/2016JA022366 chorus waves; Plasmaspheric Hiss; RBSP results; Van Allen Probes |
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Structure and Evolution of Electron "Zebra Stripes" in the Inner Radiation Belt Zebra stripes\textquotedblright are newly found energetic electron energy-spatial (L shell) distributed structure with an energy between tens to a few hundreds keV in the inner radiation belt. Using high-quality measurements of electron fluxes from Radiation Belt Storm Probes Ion Composition Experiment (RBSPICE) on board the twin Van Allen Probes, we carry out case and statistical studies from April 2013 to April 2014 to study the structural and evolutionary characteristics of zebra stripes below L = 3. It is revealed that the zebra stripes can be transformed into evenly spaced patterns in the electron drift frequency coordinate: the detrended logarithmic fluxes in each L shell region can be well described by sinusoidal functions of drift frequency. The \textquotedblleftwave number\textquotedblright of this sinusoidal function, which corresponds to the reciprocal of the gap between two adjacent peaks in the drift frequency coordinate, increases in proportion to real time. Further, these structural and evolutionary characteristics of zebra stripes can be reproduced by an analytic model of the evolution of the particle distribution under a single monochromatic or static azimuthal electric field. It is shown that the essential ingredient for the formation of multiple zebra stripes is the periodic drift of particles. The amplitude of the zebra stripes shows a good positive correlation with Kp index, which indicates that the generation mechanism of zebra stripes should be related to geomagnetic activities Liu, Y.; Zong, Q.-G.; Zhou, X.-Z.; Foster, J.; Rankin, R.; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 05/2016 YEAR: 2016 DOI: 10.1002/2015JA022077 electric field; energetic electrons; particle dynamic; Radiation belt; Van Allen Probes; zebra stripes |
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Dipolarizing flux bundles (DFBs) are small flux tubes (typically < 3 RE in XGSM and YGSM) in the nightside magnetosphere that have magnetic field more dipolar than the background. Although DFBs are known to accelerate particles, creating energetic particle injections outside geosynchronous orbit (trans-GEO), the nature of the acceleration mechanism and the importance of DFBs in generating injections inside geosynchronous orbit (cis-GEO) are unclear. Our statistical study of cis-GEO DFBs using data from the Van Allen Probes reveals that just like trans-GEO DFBs, cis-GEO DFBs occur most often in the pre-midnight sector, but their occurrence rate is ~1/3 that of trans-GEO DFBs. Half the cis-GEO DFBs are accompanied by an energetic particle injection and have an electric field three times stronger than that of the injectionless half. All DFB injections are dispersionless within the temporal resolution considered (11 seconds). Our findings suggest that these injections are ushered or produced locally by the DFB, and the DFB\textquoterights strong electric field is an important aspect of the injection generation mechanism. Liu, Jiang; Angelopoulos, V.; Zhang, Xiao-Jia; Turner, D.; Gabrielse, C.; Runov, A.; Li, Jinxing; Funsten, H.; Spence, H.; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 01/2016 YEAR: 2016 DOI: 10.1002/2015JA021691 dipolarization front; dipolarizing flux bundle; energetic particle injection; geosynchronous orbit; magnetic storm; Particle acceleration |
| 2015 |
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Penetration of magnetosonic waves into the plasmasphere observed by the Van Allen Probes During the small storm on 14\textendash15 April 2014, Van Allen Probe A measured a continuously distinct proton ring distribution and enhanced magnetosonic (MS) waves along its orbit outside the plasmapause. Inside the plasmasphere, strong MS waves were still present but the distinct proton ring distribution was falling steeply with distance. We adopt a sum of subtracted bi-Maxwellian components to model the observed proton ring distribution and simulate the wave trajectory and growth. MS waves at first propagate toward lower L shells outside the plasmasphere, with rapidly increasing path gains related to the continuous proton ring distribution. The waves then gradually cross the plasmapause into the deep plasmasphere, with almost unchanged path gains due to the falling proton ring distribution and higher ambient density. These results present the first report on how MS waves penetrate into the plasmasphere with the aid of the continuous proton ring distributions during weak geomagnetic activities. Xiao, Fuliang; Zhou, Qinghua; He, Yihua; Yang, Chang; Liu, Si; Baker, D.; Spence, H.; Reeves, G.; Funsten, H.; Blake, J.; Published by: Geophysical Research Letters Published on: 09/2015 YEAR: 2015 DOI: 10.1002/2015GL065745 Geomagnetic storms; magnetosonic waves; proton ring distribution; Radiation belts; Van Allen Probe results; Van Allen Probes; Wave-particle interaction |
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We report correlated data on nightside chorus waves and energetic electrons during two small storm periods: 1 November 2012 (Dst≈-45) and 14 January 2013 (Dst≈-18). The Van Allen Probes simultaneously observed strong chorus waves at locations L = 5.8 - 6.3, with a lower frequency band 0.1 - 0.5fce and a peak spectral density \~[10-4 nT2/Hz. In the same period, the fluxes and anisotropy of energetic (\~ 10-300 keV) electrons were greatly enhanced in the interval of large negative interplanetary magnetic field Bz. Using a bi-Maxwellian distribution to model the observed electron distribution, we perform ray tracing simulations to show that nightside chorus waves are indeed produced by the observed electron distribution with a peak growth for a field-aligned propagation around between 0.3fce and 0.4fce, at latitude <7o. Moreover, chorus waves launched with initial normal angles either θ < 90o or >90o propagate along the field either northward or southward, and then bounce back either away from Earth for a lower frequency or towards Earth for higher frequencies. The current results indicate that nightside chorus waves can be excited even during weak geomagnetic activities in cases of continuous injection associated with negative Bz. Moreover, we examine a dayside event during a small storm C on 8 May 2014 (Dst≈-45) and find that the observed anisotropic energetic electron distributions potentially contribute to the generation of dayside chorus waves, but this requires more thorough studies in the future. He, Yihua; Xiao, Fuliang; Zhou, Qinghua; Yang, Chang; Liu, Si; Baker, D.; Kletzing, C.; Kurth, W.; Hospodarsky, G.; Spence, H.; Reeves, G.; Funsten, H.; Blake, J.; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 07/2015 YEAR: 2015 DOI: 10.1002/2015JA021376 chorus wave excitation; energetic electrons; Geomagnetic storm; Van Allen Probes; Van Allen probes results; Wave-particle interaction |
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Acceleration of ions by electric field pulses in the inner magnetosphere Intense (~5-15 mV/m), short-lived (<=1 min) electric field pulses have been observed to accompany earthward-propagating, dipolarizing flux bundles (DFB; flux tubes with a strong magnetic field) before they are stopped by the strong dipole field. Using Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions During Substorms (THEMIS) observations and test particle modeling, we investigate particle acceleration around L-shell ~7-9 in the nightside magnetosphere and demonstrate that such pulses can effectively accelerate ions with tens of keV initial energy to hundreds of keV. This acceleration occurs because the ion gyroradius is comparable to the spatial scale of the localized electric field pulse at the leading edge of the flux bundle before it stops. The proposed acceleration mechanism can reproduce observed spectra of high-energy ions. We conclude thatthe electric field associated with dipolarizing flux bundles prior to their stoppage in the inner magnetosphere provides a natural site for intense local ion acceleration. Artemyev, A.V.; Liu, J.; Angelopoulos, V.; Runov, A.; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 05/2015 YEAR: 2015 DOI: 10.1002/2015JA021160 |
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One- and two-dimensional hybrid simulations of whistler mode waves in a dipole field We simulate whistler mode waves using a hybrid code. There are four species in the simulations, hot electrons initialized with a bi-Maxwellian distribution with temperature in the direction perpendicular to background magnetic field greater than that in the parallel direction, warm isotropic electrons, cold inertialess fluid electrons, and protons as an immobile background. The density of the hot population is a small fraction of the total plasma density. Comparison between the dispersion relation of our model and other dispersion relations shows that our model is more accurate for lower frequency whistlers than for higher frequency whistlers. Simulations in 2-D Cartesian coordinates agree very well with those using a full dynamics code. In the 1-D simulations along the dipole magnetic field, the predicted frequency and wave number are observed. Rising tones are observed in the one-fourteenth scale simulations that have larger than realistic magnetic field spatial inhomogeneity. However, in the full-scale 1-D simulation in a dipole field, the waves are more broadband and do not exhibit rising tones. In the 2-D simulations in a meridional plane, the waves are generated with propagation approximately parallel to the background magnetic field. However, the wavefronts become oblique as they propagate to higher latitudes. Simulations with different plasma density profiles across L shell are performed to study the effect of the background density on whistler propagation. Wu, S.; Denton, R.; Liu, K.; Hudson, M.; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 03/2015 YEAR: 2015 DOI: 10.1002/2014JA020736 hybrid simulation; particle-in-cell simulation; plasma waves; Whistler waves |
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Study of EMIC wave excitation using direct ion measurements With data from Van Allen Probes, we investigate EMIC wave excitation using simultaneously observed ion distributions. Strong He-band waves occurred while the spacecraft was moving through an enhanced density region. We extract from Helium, Oxygen, Proton, and Electron (HOPE) Mass Spectrometer measurement the velocity distributions of warm heavy ions as well as anisotropic energetic protons that drive wave growth through the ion cyclotron instability. Fitting the measured ion fluxes to multiple sinm-type distribution functions, we find that the observed ions make up about 15\% of the total ions, but about 85\% of them are still missing. By making legitimate estimates of the unseen cold (below ~2 eV) ion composition from cutoff frequencies suggested by the observed wave spectrum, a series of linear instability analyses and hybrid simulations are carried out. The simulated waves generally vary as predicted by linear theory. They are more sensitive to the cold O+ concentration than the cold He+ concentration. Increasing the cold O+ concentration weakens the He-band waves but enhances the O-band waves. Finally, the exact cold ion composition is suggested to be in a range when the simulated wave spectrum best matches the observed one. Min, Kyungguk; Liu, Kaijun; Bonnell, John; Breneman, Aaron; Denton, Richard; Funsten, Herbert; Jahn, öerg-Micha; Kletzing, Craig; Kurth, William; Larsen, Brian; Reeves, Geoffrey; Spence, Harlan; Wygant, John; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 03/2015 YEAR: 2015 DOI: 10.1002/2014JA020717 EMIC wave excitation; observation; linear theory and hybrid simulation; Van Allen Probes |
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During 18 February to 2 March 2014, the Van Allen Probes encountered multiple geomagnetic storms and simultaneously observed intensified chorus and hiss waves. During this period, there were substantial enhancements in fluxes of energetic (53.8 - 108.3 keV) and relativistic (2 - 3.6 MeV) electrons. Chorus waves were excited at locations L = 4 - 6.2 after the fluxes of energetic were greatly enhanced, with a lower frequency band and wave amplitudes \~ 20 - 100 pT. Strong hiss waves occurred primarily in the main phases or below the location L = 4 in the recovery phases. Relativistic electron fluxes decreased in the main phases due to the adiabatic (e.g., the magnetopause shadowing) or non-adiabatic (hiss-induced scattering) processes. In the recovery phases, relativistic electron fluxes either increased in the presence of enhanced chorus, or remained unchanged in the absence of strong chorus or hiss. The observed relativistic electron phase space density peaked around L* = 4.5, characteristic of local acceleration. This multiple-storm period reveals a typical picture that chorus waves are excited by the energetic electrons at first and then produce efficient acceleration of relativistic electrons. This further demonstrates that the interplay between both competing mechanisms of chorus-driven acceleration and hiss-driven scattering often occurs in the outer radiation belts. Liu, Si; Xiao, Fuliang; Yang, Chang; He, Yihua; Zhou, Qinghua; Kletzing, C.; Kurth, W.; Hospodarsky, G.; Spence, H.; Reeves, G.; Funsten, H.; Blake, J.; Baker, D.; Wygant, J.; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 01/2015 YEAR: 2015 DOI: 10.1002/2014JA020781 |
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Excitation of nightside magnetosonic waves observed by Van Allen Probes During the recovery phase of the geomagnetic storm on 30-31 March 2013, Van Allen Probe A detected enhanced magnetosonic (MS) waves in a broad range of L =1.8-4.7 and MLT =17-22 h, with a frequency range ~10-100 Hz. In the meanwhile, distinct proton ring distributions with peaks at energies of ~10 keV, were also observed in L =3.2-4.6 and L =5.0-5.6. Using a subtracted bi-Maxwellian distribution to model the observed proton ring distribution, we perform three dimensional ray tracing to investigate the instability, propagation and spatial distribution of MS waves. Numerical results show that nightside MS waves are produced by proton ring distribution and grow rapidly from the source location L =5.6 to the location L =5.0, but remain nearly stable at locations L <5.0 Moreover, waves launched toward lower L-shells with different initial azimuthal angles propagate across different MLT regions with divergent paths at first, then gradually turn back toward higher L-shells and propagate across different MLT regions with convergent paths. The current results further reveal that MS waves are generated by a ring distribution of ~10 keV proton and proton ring in one region can contribute to the MS wave power in another region. Zhou, Qinghua; Xiao, Fuliang; Yang, Chang; Liu, Si; Kletzing, C.; Kurth, W.; Hospodarsky, G.; Spence, H.; Reeves, G.; Funsten, H.; Blake, J.; Baker, D.; Wygant, J.; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 11/2014 YEAR: 2014 DOI: 10.1002/2014JA020481 magnetosonic wave; RBSP results; Van Allen Probes; Wave-particle interaction |
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Magnetospheric banded chorus is enhanced whistler waves with frequencies ωr < Ωe, where Ωe is the electron cyclotron frequency, and a characteristic spectral gap at ωr ≃ Ωe/2. This paper uses spacecraft observations and two-dimensional particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations in a magnetized, homogeneous, collisionless plasma to test the hypothesis that banded chorus is due to local linear growth of two branches of the whistler anisotropy instability excited by two distinct, anisotropic electron components of significantly different temperatures. The electron densities and temperatures are derived from HOPE instrument measurements on the Van Allen Probes A satellite during a banded chorus event on 1 November 2012. The observations are consistent with a three-component electron model consisting of a cold (a few tens of eV) population, a warm (a few hundred eV) anisotropic population, and a hot (a few keV) anisotropic population. The simulations use plasma and field parameters as measured from the satellite during this event except for two numbers: the anisotropies of the warm and the hot electron components are enhanced over the measured values in order to obtain relatively rapid instability growth. The simulations show that the warm component drives the quasi-electrostatic upper-band chorus, and that the hot component drives the electromagnetic lower-band chorus; the gap at \~ Ωe/2 is a natural consequence of the growth of two whistler modes with different properties. Fu, Xiangrong; Cowee, Misa; Friedel, Reinhard; Funsten, Herbert; Gary, Peter; Hospodarsky, George; Kletzing, Craig; Kurth, William; Larsen, Brian; Liu, Kaijun; MacDonald, Elizabeth; Min, Kyungguk; Reeves, Geoffrey; Skoug, Ruth; Winske, Dan; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 10/2014 YEAR: 2014 DOI: 10.1002/2014JA020364 |
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Local acceleration driven by whistler mode chorus waves largely accounts for the enhancement of radiation belt relativistic electron fluxes, whose favored region is usually considered to be the plasmatrough with magnetic local time approximately from midnight through dawn to noon. On 2 October 2013, the Van Allen Probes recorded a rarely reported event of intense duskside lower band chorus waves (with power spectral density up to 10-3nT2/Hz) in the low-latitude region outside of L=5. Such chorus waves are found to be generated by the substorm-injected anisotropic suprathermal electrons and have a potentially strong acceleration effect on the radiation belt energetic electrons. This event study demonstrates the possibility of broader spatial regions with effective electron acceleration by chorus waves than previously expected. For such intense duskside chorus waves, the occurrence probability, the preferential excitation conditions, the time duration, and the accurate contribution to the long-term evolution of radiation belt electron fluxes may need further investigations in future. Su, Zhenpeng; Zhu, Hui; Xiao, Fuliang; Zheng, Huinan; Wang, Yuming; He, Zhaoguo; Shen, Chao; Shen, Chenglong; Wang, C.; Liu, Rui; Zhang, Min; Wang, Shui; Kletzing, C.; Kurth, W.; Hospodarsky, G.; Spence, H.; Reeves, G.; Funsten, H.; Blake, J.; Baker, D.; Wygant, J.; Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Published on: 06/2014 YEAR: 2014 DOI: 10.1002/jgra.v119.610.1002/2014JA019919 |
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