Evidence for chorus-driven electron acceleration to relativistic energies from a survey of geomagnetically disturbed periods

Meredith, N.P.; Cain, M.; Horne, R.B. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0412-6407; Thorne, R.M.; Summers, D.; Anderson, R.R.. 2003 Evidence for chorus-driven electron acceleration to relativistic energies from a survey of geomagnetically disturbed periods. Journal of Geophysical Research, 108 (A6), 1248. 14, pp. 10.1029/2002JA009764

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Abstract/Summary

[1] We perform a survey of the plasma wave and particle data from the CRRES satellite during 26 geomagnetically disturbed periods to investigate the viability of a local stochastic electron acceleration mechanism to relativistic energies driven by Doppler-shifted cyclotron resonant interactions with whistler mode chorus. Relativistic electron flux enhancements associated with moderate or strong storms may be seen over the whole outer zone (3 < L < 7), typically peaking in the range 4 < L < 5, whereas those associated with weak storms and intervals of prolonged substorm activity lacking a magnetic storm signature (PSALMSS) are typically observed further out in the regions 4 < L < 7 and 4.5 < L < 7, respectively. The most significant relativistic electron flux enhancements are seen outside of the plasmapause and are associated with periods of prolonged substorm activity with AE greater than 100 nT for a total integrated time greater than 2 days or greater than 300 nT for a total integrated time greater than 0.7 days. These events are also associated with enhanced fluxes of seed electrons and enhanced lower-band chorus wave power with integrated lower-band chorus wave intensities of greater than 500 pT(2) day. No significant flux enhancements are seen unless the level of substorm activity is sufficiently high. These results are consistent with a local, stochastic, chorus-driven electron acceleration mechanism involving the energization of a seed population of electrons with energies of a few hundred keV to relativistic energies operating on a timescale of the order of days.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	10.1029/2002JA009764
Programmes:	BAS Programmes > Antarctic Science in the Global Context (2000-2005) > Magnetic Reconnection, Substorms and their Consequences
ISSN:	0148-0227
NORA Subject Terms:	Meteorology and Climatology Physics Atmospheric Sciences
Date made live:	11 Aug 2010 12:25 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/10166

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