Self-consistent wave-particle interactions in dispersive scale long-period field-line-resonances

Rankin, R., Watt, C. E. J. and Samson, J. C. (2007) Self-consistent wave-particle interactions in dispersive scale long-period field-line-resonances. Geophysical Research Letters, 34 (23). L23103. ISSN 1944-8007 doi: 10.1029/2007GL031317

Abstract/Summary

Using 1D Vlasov drift-kinetic computer simulations, it is shown that electron trapping in long period standing shear Alfven waves (SAWs) provides an efficient energy sink for wave energy that is much more effective than Landau damping. It is also suggested that the plasma environment of low altitude auroral-zone geomagnetic field lines is more suited to electron acceleration by inertial or kinetic scale Alfven waves. This is due to the self-consistent response of the electron distribution function to SAWs, which must accommodate the low altitude large-scale current system in standing waves. We characterize these effects in terms of the relative magnitude of the wave phase and electron thermal velocities. While particle trapping is shown to be significant across a wide range of plasma temperatures and wave frequencies, we find that electron beam formation in long period waves is more effective in relatively cold plasma.

Item Type	Article
URI	https://reading-clone.eprints-hosting.org/id/eprint/36181
Identification Number/DOI	10.1029/2007GL031317
Refereed	Yes
Divisions	No Reading authors. Back catalogue items
Publisher	Wiley
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