SCATHA Observations of Pitch Angle Diffusion of Plasma Electrons by Electromagnetic and Electrostatic Plasma Waves

Details SCATHA Observations of Pitch Angle Diffusion of Plasma Electrons by Electromagnetic and Electrostatic Plasma Waves SCATHA Observations of Pitch Angle Diffusion of Plasma Electrons by Electromagnetic and Electrostatic Plasma Waves

Dec 2001

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2001agufmsm11a0800r&link_type=abstract

American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2001, abstract #SM11A-0800

Physics

2704 Auroral Phenomena (2407), 2716 Energetic Particles, Precipitating, 7867 Wave/Particle Interactions

Scientific paper

Pitch angle diffusion by plasma waves is often cited as the cause of the diffuse auroral electron precipitation. The diffuse electron aurora is a steady drizzle into the atmosphere at all local times and geomagnetic conditions. Comparisons of electron distributions which were simultaneously measured by low and high altitude satellites in the same flux tube often exhibit a completely filled loss cone. This result implies that the pitch angle diffusion rate was near the strong diffusion limit. Some statistical studies of the plasma wave power in the magnetosphere show, however, that the observed waves are rarely strong enough to support strong diffusion of the particles. We use simultaneous wave and particle data from the SCATHA satellite to show in detail the effects of the waves on the electrons. Several cases are analyzed to correlate the level of the electron distribution function in the atmospheric loss cone with the magnitude of the wave power. The angular extent of the atmospheric loss cone at the SCATHA position is comparable to the detector field of view. To achieve a more precise estimate of the level of electrons in the loss cone, an angular deconvolution analysis is performed on the electron distributions using several methods. The pitch angle diffusion effects of several different types of waves are investigated, including electrostatic electron cyclotron harmonic waves and electromagnetic whistler-mode chorus. These results are then compared with the diffusion rates calculated by quasilinear plasma theory.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

SCATHA Observations of Pitch Angle Diffusion of Plasma Electrons by Electromagnetic and Electrostatic Plasma Waves does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with SCATHA Observations of Pitch Angle Diffusion of Plasma Electrons by Electromagnetic and Electrostatic Plasma Waves, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and SCATHA Observations of Pitch Angle Diffusion of Plasma Electrons by Electromagnetic and Electrostatic Plasma Waves will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1382493