Electrostatic Electron Cyclotron Harmonic Waves Research Articles

Variation of Electron Lifetime Due To Scattering by Electrostatic Electron Cyclotron Harmonic Waves in the Inner Magnetosphere With Electron Distribution Parameters

AbstractThrough resonant wave‐particle interactions with electrostatic electron cyclotron harmonic (ECH) waves, low‐energy plasma sheet electrons can be scattered into the atmospheric loss cone and precipitate. This process can be investigated by calculating bounce‐averaged quasi‐linear diffusion coefficients. However, the numerical calculation of ECH wave‐induced scattering rates requires the specification of several parameters, including the properties of the hot plasma sheet electrons responsible for the wave excitation. The dependence of the diffusion coefficients on these parameters and the exact contribution of scattering by ECH waves to diffuse auroral precipitation is still poorly understood and has not been carefully quantified yet. In this study, we calculate bounce‐averaged quasi‐linear scattering rates and compare the resulting lifetimes to the strong diffusion limit. We vary the temperature, plasma density, and loss cone parameters of the hot component in the electron loss cone distribution over a large range based on previous studies and observations. By adopting a new model that derives the wave normal angle from the midpoint and the angular width of the growth rate profile, our findings suggest that the electron lifetime near the loss cone is not significantly affected by the hot electron temperature and loss cone parameters. However, there is an increase in electron lifetimes with increasing plasma density. For an electric field amplitude of 1 mV/m, the electron lifetime is below or equal to the lifetime calculated using the strong diffusion limit up to E = 0.25 keV when n = 1.5 cm−3, and up to E = 0.22 keV when n = 9 cm−3.

Formation of Electron Butterfly Pitch Angle Distributions in Saturn's Magnetosphere Due To Scattering by Equatorial ECH Waves

AbstractThe features of electron pitch angle distributions (PADs) often imply different physical mechanisms in planetary magnetospheres. We report a simultaneous equatorial electrostatic electron cyclotron harmonic (ECH) wave event with butterfly PADs of electrons at L ∼ 7.6–9 observed by the Cassini spacecraft. Via calculating the bounce‐averaged electron diffusion rates, we found that Saturnian ECH waves can resonate with ∼10 eV to several keV electrons at <60° pitch angles at time scales from ∼10−8 to 10−4 s−1. Simulations show that the formation of ∼100 eV to ∼1 keV electron butterfly PADs are mainly caused by the pitch angle scattering of electrons at low pitch angles (<30°) and the momentum scattering at intermediate pitch angles of ∼30°–45°, though previous studies suggested the adiabatic transport is the dominated mechanism. Additionally, our results successfully reproduce the variation of peak pitch angles (αp) and phase space density ratios between α90° and αp with L‐shell.

Statistical Evidence for Off‐Equatorial Minimum‐B‐Pocket as a Source Region of Electron Cyclotron Harmonic Waves in the Dayside Outer Magnetosphere

AbstractThe off‐equatorial minimum‐B‐pocket (OEMBP) at high latitudes in the dayside outer magnetosphere is expected as another source region of the electrostatic electron cyclotron harmonic (ECH) waves, in addition to the magnetic equator. However, its crucial role in the excitation of the dayside ECH waves has never been directly investigated due to its spatiotemporal‐varying and difficulty to be located. Based on the observations from Magnetospheric Multiscale satellites, we statistically analyze the properties of dayside ECH waves by organizing them according to the latitude distance from the OEMBP located by the spatiotemporal‐varying geomagnetic field model. Such mapping confirms larger occurrence rates and electric field amplitudes of dayside ECH waves in the vicinity of the OEMBP, which gradually fall down nearby with the latitude distance increasing. Our results provide statistical evidence for the OEMBP as another source region of ECH waves besides the magnetic equator.

Excitation of Saturnian ECH Waves Within Remote Plasma Injections: Cassini Observations

AbstractBased on Cassini observations, we report representative electrostatic electron cyclotron harmonic (ECH) wave events observed in Saturn's magnetosphere within remote plasma injections. Unlike local injections, remote injections are “older” injection events that have evolved to form a dispersed signature in particle energy spectrum. We show that Saturnian ECH waves within remote injections present a strong fundamental band and much weaker high harmonic bands. By calculating the linear wave growth rates based on the measured electron velocity distributions, we indicate that Saturnian ECH waves can be excited by the loss cone distribution of remotely injected, hot electrons of ∼100 eV to several keV. We find that ECH waves tend to intensify with increased fluxes of injected hot electrons but weakening with increased evolution time of the flux tubes, which is consistent with the results of wave growth rates and improves the current understanding of the generation of ECH waves at Saturn.

A missing dusk-side loss process in the terrestrial electron ring current

The Earth’s magnetic field traps charged particles which are transported longitudinally around Earth, generating a near-circular current, known as the ring current. While the ring current has been measured on the ground and space for many decades, the enhancement of the ring current during geomagnetic storms is still not well understood, due to many processes contributing to its dynamics on different time scales. Here, we show that existing ring current models systematically overestimate electron flux observations of 10–50 keV on the nightside during storm onset. By analyzing electron drift trajectories, we show that this systematic overestimation of flux can be explained through a missing loss process which operates in the pre-midnight sector. Quantifying this loss reveals that the theoretical upper limit of loss has to be reached over a broad region of space in order to reproduce the observations. This missing loss may be attributed to inaccuracies in the parameterization of the loss due to chorus wave interactions, combined with the scattering by electrostatic electron cyclotron harmonic waves which is currently not included in ring current models.

Statistical Study of Approaching Strong Diffusion of Low‐Energy Electrons by Chorus and ECH Waves Based on In Situ Observations

AbstractInner magnetospheric electrons are precipitated in the ionosphere via pitch‐angle (PA) scattering by lower band chorus (LBC), upper band chorus (UBC), and electrostatic electron cyclotron harmonic (ECH) waves. However, the PA scattering efficiency of low‐energy electrons (0.1–10 keV) has not been investigated via in situ observations because of difficulties in flux measurements within loss cones at the magnetosphere. In this study, we demonstrate that LBC, UBC, and ECH waves contribute to PA scattering of electrons at different energy ranges using the Arase (ERG) satellite observation data and successively detected the moderate loss cone filling, that is, approaching strong diffusion. Approaching strong diffusion by LBC, UBC, and ECH waves occurred at ∼2–20 keV, ∼1–10 keV, and ∼0.1–2 keV, respectively. The occurrence rate of the approaching strong diffusion by high‐amplitude LBC (>50 pT), UBC (>20 pT), and ECH (>10 mV/m) waves, respectively, reached ∼70%, ∼40%, and ∼30% higher than that without simultaneous wave activity. The energy range in which the occurrence rate was high agreed with the range where the PA diffusion rate of each wave exceeded the strong diffusion level based on the quasilinear theory.

Simultaneous occurrence of four magnetospheric wave modes and the resultant combined scattering effect on radiation belt electrons

We report a representative concurrent event of four wave modes at <italic>L</italic> ≈ 5.0, including electrostatic electron cyclotron harmonic (ECH) waves, exohiss, magnetosonic (MS) waves, and electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves, based on the observations from Van Allen Probe A on October 15, 2015. The diffusion coefficients induced by these waves are calculated by using both the Full Diffusion Code and test particle simulations. Moreover, the scattering effects of these waves on energetic electrons are simulated by using a two-dimensional Fokker–Planck diffusion model. The results show that ECH waves mainly scatter low-pitch-angle (&lt; 20°) electrons at 0.1–10 keV; exohiss can significantly scatter hundreds of kiloelectron volt electrons to form a reversed energy spectrum; MS waves mainly affect high-pitch-angle electrons (&gt; 60°); and EMIC waves scatter only &gt; 5 MeV electrons. The combined scattering effects of exohiss and MS waves are stronger than those of exohiss alone. The top-hat pitch angle distributions produced by exohiss are relaxed after adding the effect of MS waves. Because the energies of electrons scattered by ECH waves and EMIC waves are much lower and higher than those scattered by exohiss and MS waves, respectively, the combined scattering effects with the addition of ECH and EMIC waves show little difference from the results for the combination of MS waves and exohiss. These results suggest that distinct wave modes can occur simultaneously and scatter electrons in combination or individually, which requires careful consideration in future global simulations of the complex dynamics of radiation belt energetic electrons.

Statistical Study of Electron Density Enhancements in the Ionospheric F Region Associated With Pulsating Auroras

AbstractPulsating auroras (PsAs) are considered to be caused by energetic (&gt;a few keV) electron precipitation. Additionally, soft electron precipitation (&lt;a few keV) has often been observed in PsAs. This soft electron precipitation enhances the electron density in the ionospheric F region. However, to date, the relationship between PsAs and soft electron precipitation has not been well understood. In this study, using the data taken by the European incoherent scatter radar and the auroral all‐sky imager at Tromsø, we conducted two case studies to investigate, in detail, the relationship between the electron density height profile and the type of aurora. Additionally, we conducted statistical studies for 14 events to elucidate how often F region electron density enhancement occurs with a PsA. We consequently found that 76% of electron density height profiles showed a local peak in the F region, with electron temperature enhancements. It was also found that 89% of the F region peak altitudes were above the peak altitude of the ionization rate produced by electrons of characteristic energy below 100 eV. The occurrence rate of these profiles in the hourly magnetic local time (MLT) exceeded 80% in the 22–3 MLT sectors. We suggest that the electron density enhancement in the F region would have been caused by electrostatic electron cyclotron harmonic waves in the magnetosphere. Another candidate would have been polar patches that had traveled from the dayside ionosphere.

Diffuse Auroral Electron Scattering by Electrostatic Electron Cyclotron Harmonic Waves in the Dayside Magnetosphere

AbstractAlthough electrostatic electron cyclotron harmonic (ECH) waves are frequently observed in the dayside magnetosphere, their effects on the formation of dayside diffuse aurora remain poorly understood. In this study, we quantitatively evaluate the efficiency of dayside ECH wave scattering in producing the electron diffuse aurora precipitation during a typical ECH wave event by calculating the quasi‐linear bounce‐averaged scattering rates. We find that dayside ECH waves can efficiently pitch angle scatter diffuse auroral electrons on timescales of a few hours to ∼1 day over a broad range of electron energy and equatorial pitch angle α eq, that is, from ∼300 eV to 10 keV with α eq from the loss cone to 45°. Especially for ∼300 eV–2 keV electrons, the scattering rates can even approach the strong diffusion limit, resulting in an almost fully filled loss cone. Our results confirm the significant role of ECH waves in driving the dayside diffuse aurora.

Global Occurrences of Electrostatic Electron Cyclotron Harmonic Waves Associated With Radiation Belt Electron Distributions

AbstractElectrostatic electron cyclotron harmonic (ECH) waves can yield diffuse aurora primarily at higher L‐shells by driving efficient precipitation loss of plasma sheet electrons. Here using the Van Allen Probes high resolution data, we examine in detail the global occurrences of ECH waves during the period from 1 October 2012 to 30 June 2017 and find that there are totally 419 events of enhanced ECH waves. The statistical results demonstrate that ECH waves can be present over a broad region of L = 4–6 and 00–24 MLT, with a higher occurrence in the region of L = 5–6 and 06–19 MLT. The electron phase space density exhibits a distinct ring distribution (∂f/∂v⊥ &gt; 0) with the peak energy around a few kiloelectron volts. Both ECH wave events and the electron ring distributions are closely related and tend to be more distinct with increasing geomagnetic activity.

Statistical Distributions of Dayside ECH Waves Observed by MMS

AbstractStrong electrostatic electron cyclotron harmonic (ECH) waves on the dayside magnetosphere have been reported based on observations of the Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) spacecraft. In this study, we analyze high‐quality wave data from the four MMS satellites between 1 September 2015 and 30 August 2018 to investigate the statistical properties of dayside ECH emissions. The results show that dayside ECH waves are preferentially observed on the prenoon side in the outer magnetosphere (L = 8–12), with average wave amplitude Ew &gt; 0.1 mV/m. In addition, besides the typical near‐equatorial (|MLAT| ≤ 15°) region, dayside ECH waves exhibit moderate occurrence rate and wave amplitude in higher latitudinal regions (i.e., 15 &lt; |MLAT| ≤ 40°), possibly due to the off‐equatorial geomagnetic field minimum. Our reported double peaks of dayside ECH wave occurrence zone and considerable occurrence rates of prenoonside ECH waves suggest that dayside ECH waves can be a potentially important contributor to the formation of dayside diffuse aurora.

Nonlinear Coupling Between Whistler‐Mode Chorus and Electron Cyclotron Harmonic Waves in the Magnetosphere

AbstractElectromagnetic whistler‐mode chorus and electrostatic electron cyclotron harmonic (ECH) waves can contribute significantly to auroral electron precipitation and radiation belt electron acceleration. In the past, linear and nonlinear wave‐particle interactions have been proposed to explain the occurrences of these magnetospheric waves. By analyzing Van Allen Probes data, we present here the first evidence for nonlinear coupling between chorus and ECH waves. The sum‐frequency and difference‐frequency interactions produced the ECH sidebands with discrete frequency sweeping structures exactly corresponding to the chorus rising tones. The newly generated weak sidebands did not satisfy the original electrostatic wave dispersion relation. After the generation of chorus and normal ECH waves by hot electron instabilities, the nonlinear wave‐wave interactions could additionally redistribute energy among the resonant waves, potentially affecting to some extent the magnetospheric electron dynamics.

Electrostatic Electron Cyclotron Harmonic Waves as a Candidate to Cause Pulsating Auroras

AbstractPulsating auroras (PsAs) are thought to be generated by precipitating electrons scattered by lower‐band chorus (LBC) waves near the magnetic equator. One‐to‐one correlation between the LBC intensity and the PsA intensity has been reported. Electrostatic electron cyclotron harmonic (ECH) waves can also scatter electrons. However, direct correlation between ECH and PsA has not been reported yet. In this study, using a coordinated Exploration of energization and Radiation in Geospace (Arase) satellite and ground‐based imager observation, we report that not only LBC but also ECH have correlation with PsA. We estimated the precipitating electron energy by assuming that the time lag when the cross‐correlation coefficient became the highest was travel time of electrons from the modulation region. We found that the estimated energies show reasonable values as the cyclotron resonance energy of each wave.

Density Depletions Associated With Enhancements of Electron Cyclotron Harmonic Emissions: An ERG Observation

AbstractIn this study, we describe small‐scale density depletions of cold electrons associated with electrostatic electron cyclotron harmonic (ECH) waves observed by the ERG (Exploration of energization and Radiation in Geospace) spacecraft during a plasmapause crossing near the magnetic equator in the postmidnight sector. The total electron density was roughly 2 orders of magnitude larger than that of the hot electrons, indicating existence of a cold and dense electron population below ∼20 eV. The cold electron density profile showed small‐scale density depletion regions, in which the ECH emissions were intensified. Moreover, a flux enhancement of hot electrons in the perpendicular direction was also associated with the ECH emissions intensity. This relation suggests perpendicular energization of electrons by electric field oscillation of the ECH waves.

High Frequency Analyzer (HFA) of Plasma Wave Experiment (PWE) onboard the Arase spacecraft

The High Frequency Analyzer (HFA) is a subsystem of the Plasma Wave Experiment onboard the Arase (ERG) spacecraft. The main purposes of the HFA include (1) determining the electron number density around the spacecraft from observations of upper hybrid resonance (UHR) waves, (2) measuring the electromagnetic field component of whistler-mode chorus in a frequency range above 20 kHz, and (3) observing radio and plasma waves excited in the storm-time magnetosphere. Two components of AC electric fields detected by Wire Probe Antenna and one component of AC magnetic fields detected by Magnetic Search Coils are fed to the HFA. By applying analog and digital signal processing in the HFA, the spectrograms of two electric fields (EE mode) or one electric field and one magnetic field (EB mode) in a frequency range from 10 kHz to 10 MHz are obtained at an interval of 8 s. For the observation of plasmapause, the HFA can also be operated in PP (plasmapause) mode, in which spectrograms of one electric field component below 1 MHz are obtained at an interval of 1 s. In the initial HFA operations from January to July, 2017, the following results are obtained: (1) UHR waves, auroral kilometric radiation (AKR), whistler-mode chorus, electrostatic electron cyclotron harmonic waves, and nonthermal terrestrial continuum radiation were observed by the HFA in geomagnetically quiet and disturbed conditions. (2) In the test operations of the polarization observations on June 10, 2017, the fundamental R-X and L-O mode AKR and the second-harmonic R-X mode AKR from different sources in the northern polar region were observed. (3) The semiautomatic UHR frequency identification by the computer and a human operator was applied to the HFA spectrograms. In the identification by the computer, we used an algorithm for narrowing down the candidates of UHR frequency by checking intensity and bandwidth. Then, the identified UHR frequency by the computer was checked and corrected if needed by the human operator. Electron number density derived from the determined UHR frequency will be useful for the investigation of the storm-time evolution of the plasmasphere and topside ionosphere.

The Generation of Saturn's Aurora at Lower Latitudes by Electrostatic Waves

AbstractIn the present paper we have modeled diffuse auroral emissions, which have been observed at lower latitudes as compared to the main auroral arc at Saturn. It is generally accepted that these emissions are generated by precipitation of hot population of magnetospheric electrons on the closed field lines. We have considered the pitch angle diffusion by electrostatic electron cyclotron harmonic waves as the mechanism to diffuse trapped electrons into the atmospheric loss cone. Electrons are thereby precipitated into the atmosphere and excite the neutral atmospheric constituents producing auroral emissions. Calculation of ultraviolet emission intensities has been performed at two L‐shells 5.35 and 7.0. Observed hot electron distribution functions and observed electrostatic electron cyclotron harmonic wave characteristics have been used in the study. Intensities of Lyman‐alpha emission from excitation of atomic H and Lyman‐alpha produced from dissociative excitation of H2 have been calculated, obtaining the values 20.1 R (1.8 R) and 1.6 kR (0.29 kR), respectively, for both L‐shells 7.0 (5.35).Further, intensities of Lyman and Werner bands of H2 are also calculated. These have the values 7.50 kR (1.43 kR) and 7.52 kR (1.49 kR), respectively, for L‐shells 7.0 (5.35). It is observed that the volume excitation rates of these four excitations peak at an altitude of about 2,000 km. From the range‐energy relation in H2 gas it is estimated that the electrons producing these excitations should have energies less than about 250 eV.

Survey of Saturn electrostatic cyclotron harmonic wave intensity

AbstractWe conduct a survey of electrostatic electron cyclotron harmonic (ECH) emissions observed at Saturn by the radio and plasma wave science investigation on board the Cassini spacecraft. These emissions are known to be effective at interacting with electrons in the terrestrial inner magnetosphere, producing electron scattering into the loss cone and acceleration (cf. Horne and Thorne, 2000; Thorne et al., 2010). At Saturn ECH emission occurs with high probability and at strong intensity near the magnetic equator, outside the Enceladus torus in the range ~5 &lt; L &lt; ~10. Inside the inner boundary of the torus, ECH emissions are also observed near the equator and at higher latitude. Intensity levels of ECH emission are comparable to those observed at Earth, higher than Saturn chorus and Z‐mode emission, and are likely to scatter electrons into the loss cone as at Earth. ECH waves are particularly intense and extend to higher harmonics within some plasma injection regions. We present results for a survey of over 8 years of Saturn data for fundamental and up to three harmonics of fce, the electron cyclotron frequency.

Generation of lower and upper bands of electrostatic electron cyclotron harmonic waves in the Van Allen radiation belts

AbstractElectrostatic electron cyclotron harmonic (ECH) waves generated by the electron loss cone distribution can produce efficient scattering loss of plasma sheet electrons, which has a significant effect on the dynamics in the outer magnetosphere. Here we report two ECH emission events around the same location L≈ 5.7–5.8, MLT ≈ 12 from Van Allen Probes on 11 February (event A) and 9 January 2014 (event B), respectively. The spectrum of ECH waves was centered at the lower half of the harmonic bands during event A, but the upper half during event B. The observed electron phase space density in both events is fitted by the subtracted bi‐Maxwellian distribution, and the fitting functions are used to evaluate the local growth rates of ECH waves based on a linear theory for homogeneous plasmas. ECH waves are excited by the loss cone instability of 50 eV–1 keV electrons in the lower half of harmonic bands in the low‐density plasmasphere in event A, and 1–10 keV electrons in the upper half of harmonic bands in a relatively high‐density region in event B. The current results successfully explain observations and provide a first direct evidence on how ECH waves are generated in the lower and upper half of harmonic frequency bands.

A statistical survey of electrostatic electron cyclotron harmonic waves based on THEMIS FFF wave data

AbstractBased on the high‐resolution FFF wave spectral data obtained from the three innermost Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms spacecraft, electrostatic electron cyclotron harmonic (ECH) emissions are identified, using automatic selection criteria, for the period from May 2010 to December 2015. A statistical analysis of wave spectral intensity, peak wave frequency, and wave occurrence rate is performed for the first harmonic ECH waves that are predominantly strongest among all harmonic bands, in terms of dependence on L shell, magnetic local time (MLT), magnetic latitude, and the level of geomagnetic activity. Our results indicate that ECH emissions are preferentially a nightside phenomenon primarily confined to the MLT interval of 21–06 and that the most intense ECH waves are commonly present at L = 5–9 and MLT = 23–03 within 3° of the magnetic equator. As the geomagnetic activity intensifies, averaged nightside ECH wave amplitude can increase from a few tenth mV/m to well above 1 mV/m. The presence of &gt;0.1 mV/m ECH emissions extends from L &lt; 10 to L &gt; ~12 with a broad MLT coverage from the evening to postdawnside at the occurrence rate above 20% for the equatorial emissions and at a rate up to ~7% for higher‐latitude waves. Overall, the average peak wave frequency of the first harmonic ECH waves is located ~1.5 fce (where fce is the electron gyrofrequency) for L &lt; 10 and becomes smaller at higher L shells. It also exhibits a tendency to shift to lower frequencies with increasing geomagnetic activity level. By finalizing a numeric table that gives the statistically average values of wave amplitude and peak wave frequency for different ranges of L shell, MLT, and geomagnetic activity level, our detailed investigation provides an improved statistical model of ECH wave global distribution in the Earth's inner and outer magnetosphere, which can be readily adopted as critical inputs in diffusion codes to evaluate the rates of ECH wave‐driven pitch angle scattering and to determine the precise contributions of ECH waves to the plasma sheet electron dynamics and diffuse auroral electron precipitation.

Simple analytical expressions for electron pitch angle diffusion coefficients

In the present paper, we have calculated electron pitch angle diffusion coefficients due to resonant interactions with whistler mode lower band chorus (LBC), upper band chorus (UBC), and electrostatic electron cyclotron harmonic (ECH) waves. Calculations have been performed at two values of the ratio of electron plasma frequency to gyro-frequency and thirteen representative values of electron energies for the plasma sheet electrons. The numerical data of diffusion coefficients have been fitted to simple analytical expressions for each wave mode. These analytical expressions allow for simple evaluation of pitch angle diffusion coefficients for the arbitrary pitch angle, energy, the ambient magnetic field, the wave amplitude, and the ratio of plasma frequency to gyro-frequency. In the case of LBC waves, the analytical coefficients are generally within a factor of two to the numerical coefficients, except at higher pitch angles where the numerical coefficients drop to show negligible values. Likewise, also for UBC waves, the analytical coefficients are generally within a factor of two to the numerical coefficients. The analytical coefficients for ECH waves are generally in agreement with numerical coefficients. However, the analytical expressions developed for ECH waves do not reproduce sharp fluctuations, dips, and gaps, the so-called banded structure observed in the data of numerical coefficients [A. K. Tripathi et al., Phys. Plasmas 23, 042101 (2016)] The effect of the shape variation on the profile of the wave spectral intensity and the effect of cold temperature on the numerical coefficients are also investigated. Applications of the analytical expressions of diffusion coefficients are discussed.