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Observations and Modeling of Whistler Mode Waves in the Magnetospheric Density Ducts
Author(s) -
Streltsov Anatoly V.,
Bengtson Miles T.
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of geophysical research: space physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2169-9402
pISSN - 2169-9380
DOI - 10.1029/2020ja028398
Subject(s) - atmospheric duct , van allen probes , van allen radiation belt , magnetosphere , whistler , physics , computational physics , attenuation , wavelength , duct (anatomy) , electron density , very low frequency , magnetohydrodynamics , perpendicular , geophysics , plasma , optics , meteorology , astronomy , geometry , medicine , mathematics , pathology , quantum mechanics , atmosphere (unit)
This paper presents results from a modeling study of localized packages of very low frequency (VLF) whistler mode waves observed by the NASA Van Allen Probes (also known as the Radiation Belt Storm Probes [RBSP]) satellites in the equatorial magnetosphere. The waves are detected inside enhancements of the plasma density, which we interpret as high‐density ducts. The quality of the ducting depends on the wave and duct parameters. The goal of this study is to investigate relations between these parameters. This study is based on the analysis and simulations of the electron MHD model. The results demonstrate that (1) the high‐density ducts with the magnitudes and perpendicular sizes observed by the RBSP satellites can trap VLF waves with the observed frequency and guide them over a significant distance with little attenuation. (2) It is possible to identify the range of magnitudes of the parallel and perpendicular wavelengths using the information about frequency of the waves and parameters of the duct.