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Investigation of EMIC wave scattering as the cause for relativistic electron precipitation : a quantitative comparison of simulation with observations / by Zan Li

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Author	Li, Zan
Title	Investigation of EMIC wave scattering as the cause for relativistic electron precipitation : a quantitative comparison of simulation with observations / by Zan Li
Date	2015
Abstract	The fluxes of radiation belt electrons are highly variable, due to a competition between various acceleration, loss, and transport processes. Studies of any of the processes are equally important. My study focuses on electron-EMIC (electromagnetic ion cyclotron) wave interactions, which has been proposed to be one of the possible mechanisms leading to the loss of the relativistic electrons into the atmosphere. To better understand whether pitch-angle scattering by EMIC waves is an important radiation belt electron loss mechanism and whether quasi-linear theory is a sufficient theoretical treatment, we simulate the quasi-linear wave-particle interactions for a range of parameters and generate energy spectra, laying the foundation for modeling specific events that can be compared with balloon and spacecraft observations. We show that the relativistic electron precipitation (REP) energy spectrum has a peaked structure, with a lower cut-off at the minimum resonant energy. The peak moves with time towards higher energies and the spectrum flattens. The precipitating flux, on the other hand, first rapidly increases and then gradually decreases. We also show that increasing wave frequency can lead to the occurrence of a second peak. Next, we use our model to study a REP event observed by the BARREL balloon campaign to test whether EMIC wave scattering was the cause for relativistic electron precipitation. We simulate the relativistic electron pitch-angle diffusion using wave and particle data measured by multiple instruments on board GOES-13 and the Van Allen Probes. We show that the count rate, the energy distribution and the time variation of the simulated precipitation all agree very well with the balloon observations, suggesting that EMIC wave scattering was likely the cause for the precipitation event. The event reported here is the first balloon REP event with closely conjugate EMIC wave observations, and our study employs the most detailed quantitative analysis on the link of EMIC waves with observed REP to date.
Description	1 online resource (x, 150 pages) : illustrations (chiefly color)
Format	application/pdf
College	Dartmouth College -- Department of Physics and Astronomy.
Issuing Body	Dartmouth Dissertations are made available through the Dartmouth Digital Library.
Degree	Thesis (Ph.D.)--Dartmouth College.
Copyright	All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form by any electronic or mechanical means without permission in writing from the author.
DOI	http://dx.doi.org/10.1349/ddlp.1924

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Investigation of EMIC wave scattering as the cause for relativistic electron precipitation : a quantitative comparison of simulation with observations / by Zan Li

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