Open AccessEffect of electromagnetic ion cyclotron wave normal angle distribution on relativistic electron scattering in outer radiation belt
Author(s) -
Khazanov G. V.,
Gamayunov K. V.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
journal of geophysical research: space physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.67
H-Index - 298
eISSN - 2156-2202
pISSN - 0148-0227
DOI - 10.1029/2007ja012282
Subject(s) - physics , scattering , electron , atomic physics , electromagnetic radiation , cyclotron , van allen radiation belt , pitch angle , computational physics , cyclotron radiation , diffusion , ion , plasma , optics , magnetosphere , nuclear physics , geophysics , thermodynamics , quantum mechanics
We present the equatorial and bounce‐averaged pitch angle diffusion coefficients for the scattering relativistic electrons by He + ‐mode electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves. Both the model (prescribed) and self‐consistent distributions over the wave normal angle are considered. The main results of our calculation can be summarized as follows: First, in comparison with field‐aligned waves, intermediate and highly oblique waves decrease the bounce‐averaged scattering rate near the edge of the loss cone by up to orders of magnitude if the electron energy does not exceed a threshold (∼2–5 MeV) depending on specified plasma and/or wave parameters. Second, for greater electron energies, oblique waves operating the ∣ n ∣ > 1 resonances are more effective and provide the same bounce‐averaged diffusion rate near the edge of the loss cone as field‐aligned waves do.