Large-amplitude whistler waves and electron acceleration

Abstract

[1] A recent observation shows that large-amplitude whistler waves propagating obliquely with respect to the ambient magnetic field may be responsible for energizing the radiation belt electrons to relativistic energies (MeV) within a time scale as short as a fraction of a second. Test-particle simulations available in the literature invariably adopt simple model wave forms for the oblique whistlers, such that rigorous analysis of these waves have not been performed to this date. The present Letter solves fully nonlinear cold electron fluid equation for obliquely propagating large-amplitude whistlers. Relativistic test particle simulation is then performed over these exact wave solutions, and it is shown that a population of initially low energy electrons can be accelerated to (10) MeV energies, within a few seconds time scale.