Rapid acceleration of electrons in the magnetosphere by fast-mode MHD waves
Plasma Physics
2015-06-26 v1 Space Physics
Abstract
During major megnetic storms, enhanced flux of relativistic electrons in the inner magnetosphere have been observed to correleated with ULF waves. The enhancements can take place over a period of several hours. In order to account for such a rapid generation of relativistic electrons, we examine the mechanism of transit-time acceleration of electrons by low-frequency fast-mode MHD waves, here the assumed form of ULF waves. Calcaulations of the acceleration timescales in the model show that fast-mode waves in the Pc4 to Pc5 frequency range, with typically observed wave amplitudes 10--20 nT, can accelerate the seed electrons to energies of order MeV in a period of a few hours.
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.physics/0003099,
title = {Rapid acceleration of electrons in the magnetosphere by fast-mode MHD waves},
author = {Danny Summers and Chunyu Ma},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:physics/0003099},
year = {2015}
}
Comments
9 pages, 3 figures, Accepted to J. Geophys. Res