Visualization of rapid electron precipitation via chorus element wave–particle interactions

Mitsunori Ozaki, Yoshizumi Miyoshi, Kazuo Shiokawa, Keisuke Hosokawa, Shin ichiro Oyama, Ryuho Kataoka, Yusuke Ebihara, Yasunobu Ogawa, Yoshiya Kasahara, Satoshi Yagitani, Yasumasa Kasaba, Atsushi Kumamoto, Fuminori Tsuchiya, Shoya Matsuda, Yuto Katoh, Mitsuru Hikishima, Satoshi Kurita, Yuichi Otsuka, Robert C. Moore, Yoshimasa TanakaMasahito Nosé, Tsutomu Nagatsuma, Nozomu Nishitani, Akira Kadokura, Martin Connors, Takumi Inoue, Ayako Matsuoka, Iku Shinohara

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal Articlepeer-review

37 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Chorus waves, among the most intense electromagnetic emissions in the Earth’s magnetosphere, magnetized planets, and laboratory plasmas, play an important role in the acceleration and loss of energetic electrons in the plasma universe through resonant interactions with electrons. However, the spatial evolution of the electron resonant interactions with electromagnetic waves remains poorly understood owing to imaging difficulties. Here we provide a compelling visualization of chorus element wave–particle interactions in the Earth’s magnetosphere. Through in-situ measurements of chorus waveforms with the Arase satellite and transient auroral flashes from electron precipitation events as detected by 100-Hz video sampling from the ground, Earth’s aurora becomes a display for the resonant interactions. Our observations capture an asymmetric spatial development, correlated strongly with the amplitude variation of discrete chorus elements. This finding is not theoretically predicted but helps in understanding the rapid scattering processes of energetic electrons near the Earth and other magnetized planets.

Original languageEnglish
Article number257
JournalNature Communications
Volume10
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Dec. 2019

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