[P-EM13] Dynamics of the Inner Magnetospheric System

[PEM13-09] Electron microburst induced by chorus waves

★Invited Papers

*Lunjin Chen¹ (1.University of Texas at Dallas)

Keywords:radiation belts, wave particle interaction, electron precipitation, chorus waves

During magnetospheric storms, radiation belt electrons are produced and then removed on varying timescales. An efficient loss process is microbursts, strong, transient precipitation of electrons into the lower atmosphere over a wide energy range, from tens of keV to sub-relativistic and relativistic energies (100s keV and above). However, the detailed generation mechanism of microbursts, especially over sub-relativistic and relativistic energies, remains unknown. Here, it is showed that these energetic electron microbursts may be caused by ducted whistler-mode lower-band chorus waves. Using combined observations of equatorial chorus waves from Van Allen Probes and electron precipitation from low-altitude ELFIN, the data-driven simulations demonstrate that the observed microbursts are the result of resonant interaction of electrons with ducted chorus waves rather than nonducted ones. Revealing the physical mechanism behind the microbursts advances our understanding of radiation belt dynamics and its impact on the lower atmosphere and space weather.