Characteristics of Electron Microburst Precipitation Based on High‐Resolution ELFIN Measurements
Abstract
We present statistical characteristics of electron microburst precipitation using high time‐resolution measurements from the low‐altitude Electron Losses and Fields InvestigatioN (ELFIN) CubeSats. The radial distribution of the equatorial projection of microbursts as a function of geomagnetic activity suggests that they are produced by resonant interaction with quasi‐parallel lower‐band chorus waves. ELFIN electron flux measurements provide the first statistical models of microburst energy spectra from 50 keV to 2 MeV. Microbursts with energies up to 150 keV have a relatively flat pitch‐angle spectrum. Estimates of scattering rates required to produce the observed flat spectra suggest that such precipitation signatures are due to near‐equatorial electron scattering by chorus wave packets with peak amplitudes of 0.4–0.9 nT, well above the threshold for nonlinear resonant interaction. More rare microbursts, exceeding 500 keV, are observed preferentially near dawn during disturbed periods. We interpret them as evidence of scattering by intense ducted chorus waves propagating from the equator up to middle latitudes with little attenuation.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Pub Defense Publication
- Publication Date
- Apr 27, 2022
- Source ID
- 10.1029/2022ja030509
Entities
People
- Anton V. Artemyev
- Colin Wilkins
- D. Mourenas
- Ethan Tsai
- Vassilis Angelopoulos
- Xiao-Jia Zhang
Organizations
- Air Force Office of Scientific Research
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration
- National Science Foundation
- Paris-Saclay University
- University of California, Los Angeles