Open AccessLocation and size of the global source region of whistler mode chorus
Author(s) -
Hayosh M.,
Santolík O.,
Parrot M.
Publication year - 2010
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 - 10.1029/2009ja014950
Subject(s) - chorus , physics , earth radius , whistler , plane (geometry) , latitude , mode (computer interface) , computational physics , spacecraft , geophysics , geodesy , magnetosphere , magnetic field , geology , astronomy , geometry , art , literature , mathematics , quantum mechanics , computer science , operating system
We use multicomponent measurements of the four Cluster spacecraft and a backward ray tracing simulation to estimate the location and size of the global source of whistler mode chorus emissions in the magnetic equatorial plane. For the first time, analysis is made in a broad range of latitudes in both hemispheres along a single Cluster orbit. Our results show that for different time intervals, the sizes of the observed portions of the global chorus source region in the equatorial plane varied between 0.4 and 1.5 Earth radii. They were found at radial distances between 4.5 and 8.2 Earth radii during 2 h of measurements. Therefore, the superposed minimum width of the global source region of whistler mode chorus in the magnetic equatorial plane is approximately 4 Earth radii.