High-resolution in situ observations of electron precipitati

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TitleHigh-resolution in situ observations of electron precipitation-causing EMIC wavesAbstractElectromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves are thought to be important drivers of energetic electron losses from the outer radiation belt through precipitation into the atmosphere. While the theoretical possibility of pitch angle scattering-driven losses from these waves has been recognized for more than four decades, there have been limited experimental precipitation observations to support this concept. We have combined satellite-based observations of the characteristics of EMIC waves, with satellite and ground-based observations of the EMIC-induced electron precipitation. In a detailed case study, supplemented by an additional four examples, we are able to constrain for the first time the location, size, and energy range of EMIC-induced electron precipitation inferred from coincident precipitation data and relate them to the EMIC wave frequency, wave power, and ion band of the wave as measured in situ by the Van Allen Probes. These observations will better constrain modeling into the importance of EMIC wave-particle interactions. Key Points EMIC waves are thought to be highly important drivers of electron loss from the outer radiation belt To date, there are few experimental examples of precipitation-causing EMIC events Simultaneous in situ EMIC wave, plasma, and precipitation flux measurements made for the first time. â"' 2015. American Geophysical Union. All Rights Reserved.AcknowledgementsThe authors would like to thank Richard Yeo for hosting the AARDDVARK receiver in Reykjavik and the following institutional AARDDVARK hosts: Churchill Northern Studies Center USGS/Magnetic Observatories Fairbanks and SodankylÃ¤ Geophysical Observatory. We would also like to acknowledge the researchers and engineers of NOAAÅ› Space Environment Center for the provision of the data and the operation of the SEM-2 instrument carried on board these spacecraft, the many teams involved in the Van Allen Probes, and the developers of the Autoplot interactive data tool. The research at University of Iowa was supported by JHU/APL contract 921647 under NASA prime contract NAS5-01072. Data availability is described at the following websites: http://rbspgway.jhuapl.edu/ (Van Allen Probes Science Gateway), http://emfisis.physics.uiowa.edu/ (EMFISIS), http://www.rbsp-ect.lanl.gov/data_pub/rbspa/mageis/level3/ (MagEIS), http://www.rbsp-ect.lanl.gov/data_pub/rbspb/rept/level3/ (REPT), http://www.rbsp-ect.lanl.gov/data_pub/rbspa/MagEphem/def/2013/ (MegEphem), http://satdat.ngdc.noaa.gov/sem/poes/data/ (POES SEM-2), http://www.physics.otago.ac.nz/space/AARDDVARK_homepage.htm (AARDDVARK), and http://wdc.kugi.kyoto-u.ac.jp/aeasy/index.html (SYM-H).Funding DetailsNAS5-01072, NASA, National Aeronautics and Space Administration

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1st AuthorRodger, C.AuthorRodger, C.Hendry, A.Clilverd, M.Kletzing, C.Brundell, J.Reeves, G.Year2015JournalGeophysical Research LettersVolume42Number22Pages9633-9641DOI10.1002/2015GL066581URLhttps://www.scopus.com/inward/recor.....f06e25875fe05a75f10426d28KeywordsElectron scatteringMagnetosphereParticle interactionsRadiation beltsWave plasma interactionsWave power, Electron precipitationEnergetic electron precipitationGround-based observationsIn-situ observationsPitch-angle scatteringRadiation belt electronsSatellite based observationsWave-particle interactions, Electrons, electromagnetic fieldelectronground-based measurementin situ measurementinstrumentationparticle motionplasmaprecipitation (climatology)radiative transfersatellite datawave actionwave scattering, rank3Author KeywordsEMIC wavesenergetic electron precipitationradiation belt electronswave-particle interactions

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TypeArticleCitationRodger, C., Hendry, A., Clilverd, M., Kletzing, C., Brundell, J. and Reeves, G. (2015) High-resolution in situ observations of electron precipitation-causing EMIC waves. Geophysical Research Letters, 42(22): 9633-9641 doi:10.1002/2015GL066581 IdentifierRodger2015Relevancerank3