The turbulent energy cascade that is characteristic of bursty bulk flow (BBF) braking regions in the Earth’s magnetotail has been shown to be the energy source for large-amplitude electric fields (>50 mV/m) which can, in turn, result in local energetic electron acceleration. These pre-energized electrons move inward to stronger magnetic fields being adiabatically energized and can eventually supply an energetic tail to electron distributions in the outer radiation belt. Using wave and plasma measurements from the Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms (THEMIS) satellites during four tail seasons from 2015 to 2019, we study the process of BBF magnetic and kinetic energy being transferred to electrons by turbulent electric fields from a statistical perspective. We identify turbulent BBF regions by the presence of high-amplitude electric fields. We show that the high-amplitude electric fields are associated with an increase in electron temperature by three times compared to quiet times and with a ten-fold increase in temperature fluctuations. They are also associated with strong variations of energetic electron fluxes, indicative of local acceleration. We further discuss the implications of these findings and the role of this pre-energized electron population in supplying the outer radiation belt.

The MAVEN mission has measured an electron temperature spike at altitudes where the Martian atmosphere becomes optically thick and changes occur in the atmospheric chemistry. The temperature spike is consistent from orbit to orbit, but changes in location based on solar zenith angle (SZA) and has only been observed for SZA <80o. This letter presents the conditions under which it is observed and discusses possible sources. The electron temperature spike seems to be co-located with a temperature dip in the neutral atmosphere. The observed temperature spike/dip might be indicative of an inversion layer in the Martian atmosphere. The altitude location of the electron temperature spike is in the lower dynamo region where the electrons start to be unmagnetized. The observations are unlikely to be significant for overall Martian plasma dynamics, but are a clear indication that the large-scale Martian atmosphere is still not completely understood.