Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Compton Gamma Ray Observatory/BATSE observations of energetic electrons scattered by cyclotron resonance with waves from powerful VLF transmitters. Final report, 13 October 1992-12 February 1994

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:7284133
To obtain a better understanding of the wave-particle mechanisms responsible for the loss of electrons from the radiation belts, energetic electron data from the Burst and Transient Source Experiment (BATSE) on the NASA's Compton Gamma Ray Observatory (GRO) was studied. Powerful ground-based VLF transmitters resonantly scatter electrons from the inner radiation belt onto trajectories from which they precipitate into the atmosphere as they drift eastward. 563 instances in which the satellite traversed a cloud of energetic electrons which had been scattered into quasi-trapped trajectories were identified. From the longitude distribution, it was concluded that waves from the VLF transmitter NWC at 114 deg E are the origin of 257 of the events, and waves from UMSat 44 deg E related to 45 more. In another 177 cases the electrons had drifted from the longitude of these transmitters to a location in the western hemisphere. The previously reported seasonal variation in the frequency of occurrence of cyclotron resonance interaction is confirmed with the continuous coverage provided by GRO. The frequency of occurrence of the cyclotron resonance interactions is largest before sunrise, which the authors attribute to the diurnal variations in the transmission VLF waves through the ionosphere. For the first time, unique very narrow sheets of electrons occurring in the aftermath of a large geomagnetic storm are reported.
Research Organization:
Lockheed Missiles and Space Co., Palo Alto, CA (United States). Lockheed Palo Alto Research Lab.
OSTI ID:
7284133
Report Number(s):
N-94-26790; NASA-CR--189336; NAS--1.26:189336; CNN: NAS5-32065
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English