Open AccessNonlinear spatiotemporal evolution of whistler mode chorus waves in Earth's inner magnetosphere
Author(s) -
Summers Danny,
Omura Yoshiharu,
Miyashita Yu,
Lee DongHun
Publication year - 2012
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 - 10.1029/2012ja017842
Subject(s) - physics , magnetosphere , equator , geophysics , whistler , computational physics , chorus , nonlinear system , amplitude , convection , field line , magnetic field , mechanics , quantum electrodynamics , classical mechanics , optics , latitude , art , literature , quantum mechanics , astronomy
We analyze the nonlinear evolution of whistler mode chorus waves propagating along a magnetic field line from their equatorial source. We solve wave evolution equations off the equator for the wave magnetic field amplitude and wave frequency, subject to boundary conditions at the equator comprising model “chorus equations” that describe the generation of a seed chorus element. The electron distribution function is assumed to evolve adiabatically along a field line. The wave profiles exhibit nonlinear convective growth followed by saturation. Convective growth is due to nonlinear wave trapping, and the saturation process is partly due to a combination of adiabatic effects and a decreasing resonant current with latitude. Notwithstanding computationally expensive full‐scale kinetic simulations, our study appears to be the first to analyze the nonlinear evolution and saturation of whistler mode waves off the equator.