Understanding the Properties of Chorus Waves in the Earth’s Inner-magnetosphere and Their Effects on Van Allen Radiation Belt Electrons

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Earth’s radiation belts consist of highly energetic electrons, which can be hazardous to Earth-orbiting satellites and astronauts in space. The fluxes of these energetic electrons in the outer radiation belt are very dynamic. Understanding the physical processes that control the dynamics of energetic electrons in the radiation belts is important for the protection of satellites and astronauts in space. Wave-particle interactions between chorus waves and radiation belt electrons are believed to play a crucial role in the acceleration and loss of these particles. In this project, utilizing state-of-the-art measurements from multiple satellites, comprehensive chorus wave models will be developed. Afterward, diffusion coefficients will be calculated to quantify the important wave-particle interaction processes and their consequences. With the help of our sophisticated radiation belt dynamic model, fundamental acceleration and loss of energetic electrons caused by chorus waves in the Earth's radiation belts will be quantified. We will validate simulation results against satellite measurements to understand the competition between acceleration and loss caused by chorus waves. All these improvements will be critically important for answering the overarching scientific question: Why do the Earth’s radiation belts respond differently to geomagnetic storms which have approximately the same intensity and what determines the outcome of the competition between the acceleration and loss processes caused by chorus waves? Improvements in our radiation belt dynamics model will provide more accurate forecasting of the Earth’s radiation belts.