Energetic Electron Precipitation Observed by FIREBIRD-II Potentially Driven by EMIC Waves: Location, Extent, and Energy Range From a Multievent Analysis

Academic Article

Abstract

  • AbstractWe evaluate the location, extent, and energy range of electron precipitation driven by ElectroMagnetic Ion Cyclotron (EMIC) waves using coordinated multisatellite observations from near‐equatorial and Low‐Earth‐Orbit (LEO) missions. Electron precipitation was analyzed using the Focused Investigations of Relativistic Electron Burst Intensity, Range and Dynamics (FIREBIRD‐II) CubeSats, in conjunction either with typical EMIC‐driven precipitation signatures observed by Polar Orbiting Environmental Satellites (POES) or with in situ EMIC wave observations from Van Allen Probes. The multievent analysis shows that electron precipitation occurred in a broad region near dusk (16–23 MLT), mostly confined to 3.5–7.5 L‐shells. Each precipitation event occurred on localized radial scales, on average ∼0.3 L. Most importantly, FIREBIRD‐II recorded electron precipitation from ∼200 to 300 keV to the expected ∼MeV energies for most cases, suggesting that EMIC waves can efficiently scatter a wide energy range of electrons.
  • Authors

  • Capannolo, L
  • Li, W
  • Spence, Harlan
  • Johnson, AT
  • Shumko, M
  • Sample, J
  • Klumpar, D
  • Status

    Publication Date

  • March 16, 2021
  • Published In

    Keywords

  • EMIC waves
  • electron losses
  • electron precipitation
  • inner magnetosphere
  • particle interactions
  • proton precipitation
  • wave‐
  • Digital Object Identifier (doi)

    Volume

  • 48
  • Issue

  • 5