Premium
Effects of plasma density irregularities on the pitch angle scattering of radiation belt electrons by signals from ground based VLF transmitters
Author(s) -
Bell T. F.,
Inan U. S.,
Piddyachiy D.,
Kulkarni P.,
Parrot M.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2008gl034834
Subject(s) - plasmasphere , physics , whistler , van allen radiation belt , transmitter , pitch angle , scattering , computational physics , electron , electromagnetic radiation , very low frequency , radio wave , radiation , electron density , wave propagation , plasma , geophysics , optics , magnetosphere , telecommunications , channel (broadcasting) , quantum mechanics , astronomy , computer science
Recent DEMETER spacecraft observations show that VLF signals from the NPM transmitter in Hawaii often strongly excite quasi‐electrostatic whistler mode waves as the NPM signals propagate upward through plasma density irregularities. As a result of the NPM wave energy loss to the quasi‐electrostatic waves, the transmitter signals will arrive at the radiation belts with less intensity than predicted by present models of VLF wave propagation and will produce less pitch angle scattering of energetic electrons than presently believed. This type of wave energy loss may be partially responsible for the pervasive wave intensity deficit for VLF transmitter signals in the plasmasphere recently noted by Starks et al. (2008).