Diffuse auroral precipitation by resonant interaction with electron cyclotron harmonic and whistler mode waves

Abstract

Bounce-averaged pitch angle diffusion coefficients of electrons due to resonant interaction with electrostatic electron cyclotron harmonic (ECH) and whistler mode waves have been calculated. Temporal growth rates obtained by solving the appropriate dispersion relation have been used to represent the distribution of wave energy with frequency. Calculations have been performed at two spatial locations L=4.6 and L=6.8. The results obtained suggest that ECH waves can put electrons on strong pitch angle diffusion at both spatial locations. However, at L=4.6, electrons with energy <100eV and at L=6.8 electrons with energy up to ∼500eV can be put on strong diffusion contributing to diffuse auroral precipitation. Whistler mode waves can put electrons of energy ≤5keV on strong pitch angle diffusion at L=6.8 whereas at L=4.6 observed wave fields are insufficient to put electrons on strong diffusion. ECH waves contribute up to 17% of the total electron energy precipitation flux due to both ECH and whistler mode waves. A case study has been performed to calculate pitch angle diffusion coefficients using Gaussian function to represent wave energy distribution with frequency. It is found that, for electron energy <500eV, the calculated diffusion coefficients using Gaussian function to represent ECH wave energy distribution are several orders of magnitude smaller or negligible as compared to diffusion coefficients calculated by temporal growth rates. However, the calculated pitch angle diffusion coefficients using Gaussian function for whistler mode wave energy distribution are in very good agreement with diffusion coefficients calculated by temporal growth rates. It is concluded that representing the ECH wave energy distribution with frequency by a Gaussian function grossly underestimates the low energy (<500eV) electron precipitation flux due to ECH waves.