Generation of electron conical distributions by upper hybrid waves in the Earth's polar region

Abstract

The heating of electron populations through resonant wave‐particle interaction with upper hybrid turbulence is examined. It is first demonstrated that upper hybrid waves are easily excited by a population of warm electrons with a loss cone type distribution in a background of cold electron plasma. Quasi‐linear theory is then used to show that the upper hybrid turbulence can preferentially heat the warm electrons in the perpendicular direction. In analogy to ion conic formation, this perpendicular heating process is a viable mechanism of generating electron conical distributions observed in the Earth's midaltitude polar regions.