Effects of Temporal Variability on Wave-Particle Interactions in Magnetospheric Plasma
Lead Research Organisation:
Northumbria University
Department Name: Fac of Engineering and Environment
Abstract
Our proposal addresses key science behind space weather. The energetic electrons in the radiation belts that surround the Earth are controlled in part by interactions with a wide range of electromagnetic waves. We have a useful theoretical description of the strength of these wave-particle interactions, but it was only designed for waves that do not vary much in time. Real-world observations indicate that the waves and plasma conditions are highly variable and so we look to run physics-based numerical experiments to identify how we should use our knowledge of wave-particle interactions to better model the behaviour of the radiation belt. The conditions for the numerical experiments will be constrained by observations from NASA's state-of-the-art Van Allen Probes. The combination of numerical simulation and observations promises to shed further light on the physical processes that control the amount of high-energy electrons trapped in Earth's outer radiation belt.
Organisations
Publications
Lorch C
(2022)
Evidence of Alfvénic Activity in Jupiter's Mid-To-High Latitude Magnetosphere
in Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics
Chakraborty S
(2022)
Intense chorus waves are the cause of flux-limiting in the heart of the outer radiation belt.
in Scientific reports
Ross J
(2021)
On the Variability of EMIC Waves and the Consequences for the Relativistic Electron Radiation Belt Population
in Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics
Thompson R
(2021)
Pro- L * - A Probabilistic L * Mapping Tool for Ground Observations
in Space Weather
Watt C
(2022)
Temporal variability of quasi-linear pitch-angle diffusion
in Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences
Watt C
(2021)
The Implications of Temporal Variability in Wave-Particle Interactions in Earth's Radiation Belts
in Geophysical Research Letters
Bentley S
(2021)
The magnetospheric interactions of predicted ULF wave power