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www.ann-geophys.net/26/3451/2008/
© European Geosciences Union 2008
Rapid energization of radiation belt electrons by nonlinear wave trapping
1Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere, Kyoto University, Gokasho, Uji, Kyoto 611-0011, Japan
2Planetary Plasma and Atmospheric Research Center, Graduate School of Science, Tohoku Univ., Sendai 980-8578, Japan
3Dept. of Mathematics and Statistics, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland, A1C 5S7 Canada
Abstract. We show that nonlinear wave trapping plays a significant role in both the generation of whistler-mode chorus emissions and the acceleration of radiation belt electrons to relativistic energies. We have performed particle simulations that successfully reproduce the generation of chorus emissions with rising tones. During this generation process we find that a fraction of resonant electrons are energized very efficiently by special forms of nonlinear wave trapping called relativistic turning acceleration (RTA) and ultra-relativistic acceleration (URA). Particle energization by nonlinear wave trapping is a universal acceleration mechanism that can be effective in space and cosmic plasmas that contain a magnetic mirror geometry.
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Citation: Katoh, Y., Omura, Y., and Summers, D.: Rapid energization of radiation belt electrons by nonlinear wave trapping, Ann. Geophys., 26, 3451-3456, 2008. Bibtex EndNote Reference Manager
