Relativistic electron flux decay and recovery: relative roles of EMIC
waves, chorus waves, and electron injections
Abstract
We investigate the dynamics of relativistic electrons in the Earth’s
outer radiation belt by analyzing the interplay of several key physical
processes: electron losses due to pitch angle scattering from
electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves and chorus waves, and
electron flux increases from chorus wave-driven acceleration of
~100-300 keV seed electrons injected from the plasma
sheet. We examine a weak geomagnetic storm on April 17, 2021, using
observations from various spacecraft, including GOES, Van Allen Probes,
ERG/ARASE, MMS, ELFIN, and POES. Despite strong EMIC- and chorus
wave-driven electron precipitation in the outer radiation belt, trapped
0.1-1.5 MeV electron fluxes actually increased. We use theoretical
estimates of electron quasi-linear diffusion rates by chorus and EMIC
waves, based on statistics of their wave power distribution, to examine
the role of those waves in the observed relativistic electron flux
variations. We find that a significant supply of 100-300 keV electrons
by plasma sheet injections together with chorus wave-driven acceleration
can overcome the rate of chorus and EMIC wave-driven electron losses
through pitch angle scattering toward the loss cone, explaining the
observed net increase in electron fluxes. Our study emphasizes the
importance of simultaneously taking into account resonant wave-particle
interactions and modeled local energy gradients of electron phase space
density following injections, to accurately forecast the dynamical
evolution of trapped electron fluxes.