The effects of low frequency waves on ion trajectories in the Earth's magnetotail

Abstract

The trajectories of ions in the Tsyganenko magnetic field model with a convection electric field have been compared to the trajectories when a perturbation electric field based on ISEE‐1 and Geotail observations of lower hybrid frequency waves is included. The inclusion of waves dramatically modifies the characteristics of the ion trajectories. For example, initial conditions which result in adiabatic orbits in the absence of waves are often non‐adiabatic when waves are included. In addition, both the regions of space accessible to the particles and the energization are changed. Although only individual trajectories were examined in this study, it is argued that the effect of the waves is to mix previously distinct regions of phase space.