Excitation of EMIC waves detected by the Van Allen Probes on 28 April 2013

Authors

J. C. Zhang, University of New Hampshire
A A. Saiken, University of New Hampshire - Main Campus
Lynn M. Kistler, University of New HampshireFollow
Charles W. Smith, University of New Hampshire - Main CampusFollow
Harlan E. Spence, University of New HampshireFollow
Christoforos Mouikis, University of New Hampshire - Main CampusFollow
Roy B. Torbert, University of New HampshireFollow
Bradford Larsen, University of New Hampshire
Geoffrey Reeves, Los Alamos National LaboratoryFollow
R. M. Skoug, Los Alamos National LaboratoryFollow
H. O. Funsten, Los Alamos National LaboratoryFollow
W. S. Kurth, University of IowaFollow
C A. Kletzing, University of IowaFollow
R. C. Allen, University of New HampshireFollow
V K. Jordanova, University of Texas at San AntonioFollow

Abstract

Abstract

We report the wave observations, associated plasma measurements, and linear theory testing of electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) wave events observed by the Van Allen Probes on 28 April 2013. The wave events are detected in their generation regions as three individual events in two consecutive orbits of Van Allen Probe-A, while the other spacecraft, B, does not detect any significant EMIC wave activity during this period. Three overlapping H⁺ populations are observed around the plasmapause when the waves are excited. The difference between the observational EMIC wave growth parameter (E_h) and the theoretical EMIC instability parameter (S_h) is significantly raised, on average, to 0.10 ± 0.01, 0.15 ± 0.02, and 0.07 ± 0.02 during the three wave events, respectively. On Van Allen Probe-B, this difference never exceeds 0. Compared to linear theory (E_h>S_h), the waves are only excited for elevated thresholds.

Department

Physics

Publication Date

2014

Journal Title

Geophysical Research Letters

Publisher

American Geophysical Union Publications

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1002/2014GL060621

Document Type

Article

Recommended Citation

Zhang, J.-C., Saikin, A.A., Kistler, L.M., Smith, C.W., Spence, H.E., Mouikis, C.G., Torbert, R.B., Larsen, B.A., Reeves, G.D., Skoug, R.M., Funsten, H.O., Kurth, W.S., Kletzing, C.A., Allen, R.C., Jordanova, V.K. Excitation of EMIC waves detected by the Van Allen Probes on 28 April 2013. (2014) Geophysical Research Letters, 41 (12), pp. 4101-4108. doi:10.1002/2014GL060621

Rights

© 2014. American Geophysical Union. All Rights Reserved.