The Storm Time Development of Source Electrons and Chorus Wave Activity During CME‐ and CIR‐Driven Storms

Abstract

AbstractWhistler mode chorus waves influence the dynamics of the Earth's radiation belts and the inner magnetosphere through gyroresonant wave particle interactions. Chorus waves are generated by anisotropic hot electrons from a few to tens of keV, called source electrons, which have increased access from the nightside plasma sheet to the inner magnetosphere during geomagnetic storms. The primary drivers of geomagnetic storms are coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and corotating interaction regions (CIRs). Through differences in their characteristic physical parameters, they can each impact the nightside plasma sheet differently. Using Van Allen Probes observations, we have conducted a superposed epoch analysis of chorus wave activity and source electron development across all local times between L = 2–6 during 25 CME‐ and 35 CIR‐driven storms. The superposed epoch analysis shows that chorus wave power follows the storm phase‐dependent access of the source electron population. Chorus waves and source electrons are observed on the dawnside during the main phase, when open drift path access via eastward convective drift from the plasma sheet is enhanced. During the recovery phase, chorus waves and source electrons are observed at all magnetic local times with low intensities, exemplifying the formation of a weak symmetric, trapped electron population. A linear theory approximation for wave growth from source electron observations shows that increased wave growth follows the enhanced source electrons during each storm phase. CME and CIR storms display similar behavior and levels of average wave power; however, chorus wave activity reaches lower L‐shells during CME storms on average.