Large-amplitude transmitter-associated and lightning-associated whistler waves in the Earth's inner plasmasphere atL< 2

Abstract

We report observations of very large amplitude whistler mode waves in the Earth fs nightside inner radiation belt enabled by the STEREO Time Domain Sampler. Amplitudes range from 30.110 mV/m (zero ]peak), 2 to 3 orders of magnitude larger than previously observed in this region. Measurements from the peak electric field detector (TDSMax) indicate that these large ]amplitude waves are prevalent throughout the plasmasphere. A detailed examination of high time resolution electric field waveforms is undertaken on a subset of these whistlers at L 100 keV) electrons on a time scale of <1 s and thus may be an important previously unaccounted for source of energization or pitch ]angle scattering in the inner radiation belt.