Nonlinear pitch angle scattering and trapping of energetic particles during landau resonance interactions with whistler mode waves

Journal Article · Wed Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1926 · J. Geophys. Res.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6090052

Tkalcevic, S; Inan, U S; Helliwell, R A

The time averaged equations of motion derived by Inan and Tkalcevic (1982) are used in a test particle study of Landau resonant interactions of whistler mode waves and energetic particles in the magnetosphere. By computing individual particle trajectories it is shown that the pitch angle scattering and energy exchange is significantly different for the two classes of particles, trapped and untrapped. The trapped particles are characterized by a bounded phase variation, whereas the nontrapped particles exhibit unbounded phase variation. The threshold wave electric field intensities necessary for trapping are determined. Full distribution test particle simulation is carried out to determine the precipitated electron flux that would be induced as a result of these interactions. It is shown that for typical parameters the resulting precipitation fluxes for Landau resonance interactions are much smaller than those induced in gyroresonance interactions, even for wave field intensities that are much higher than the trapping threshold.

• Research Organization: Space, Telecommunications, and Radioscience Laboratory, Stanford University, California
• OSTI ID: 6090052
• Journal Information: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States) Vol. 89:A12; ISSN JGREA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640203* -- Atmospheric Physics-- Magnetospheric Phenomena-- (-1987)
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
BARYONS
DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
ELECTRIC FIELDS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELECTRONS
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
EQUATIONS
EQUATIONS OF MOTION
FERMIONS
HADRONS
INELASTIC SCATTERING
LEPTONS
MAGNETOSPHERE
NOISE
NUCLEONS
PARTIAL DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
PROTONS
RADIATIONS
RADIO NOISE
RADIOWAVE RADIATION
RESONANCE SCATTERING
SCATTERING
TRAPPED ELECTRONS
TRAPPED PROTONS
TRAPPING
WAVE PROPAGATION
WHISTLERS