Arase satellite uncovers coupling between plasma waves and charged particles in Geospace
Scientists unravel a bit more of the mystery underlying how wave-particle interactions generate other plasma waves in Geospace.
In a recent study published in Physical Review Letters, researchers from Japan show that high-frequency plasma waves in the Geospace can generate low-frequency plasma waves through wave-particle interactions by heating up low-energy ions, unveiling a new energy transfer pathway in collisionless plasma.
A prominent signature of plasma — a state of matter characterized by freely roaming charged particles interacting via electromagnetic forces — is the generation of “plasma waves,” resulting from an instability of plasma distributions. “Fast magnetosonic waves” (MSWs) are one kind of electromagnetic plasma wave in the Geospace. MSWs result from hot protons and are considered “high-frequency waves.”
Another kind of wave commonly generated in the Geospace is the “electromagnetic ion cyclotron” (EMIC) wave, which is considered a “low-frequency wave.” Recently, satellite observations in the Geospace have shown that MSWs and EMIC waves often occur together. However, the mechanism underlying this co-occurrence has remained unclear.
Now, a team of researchers led by Professor Yoshizumi Miyoshi from Nagoya University, Japan, has somewhat unraveled this mechanism. “MSWs are known to occur together with the heating of low-energy protons and studies have shown that MSWs can heat up these ‘cold’ ions. With the recent observation data by the Arase satellite showing simultaneous EMIC waves, we wondered whether the appearance of EMIC waves is actually coupled with the MSW-mediated ion heating process,” says Prof. Miyoshi, explaining the motivation behind the study.
Cross-Energy Coupling: A New Discovery
Accordingly, the team applied a wave-particle interaction analysis method to the MSWs and EMIC waves — which they observed with the Arase satellite — to examine the “cross-energy coupling” between them through ion heating. The results were enlightening: they found that while MSWs transferred energy to the “cold” protons to heat them up, a part of the transferred energy of protons went into exciting the EMIC waves. Considering that MSWs were, in turn, excited by hot protons, they, in fact, acted as a mediating agent for energy transfer to the EMIC waves, i.e., a cross-energy coupling between hot protons, cold protons, MSWs, and EMIC waves.
While these findings are exciting in themselves, Prof. Miyoshi explains how they are of significance to our knowledge about the Geospace as well: “EMIC waves cause significant scattering and loss of ‘killer electrons’ in the Van Allen radiation belts which often cause satellite malfunctions. The new energy transfer route for exciting EMIC waves revealed in our study could contribute to improved space weather forecasting, making for safer operations of satellite in the Van Allen radiation belts.”
Perhaps more such interesting phenomena are waiting to be discovered amidst the riches of the Geospace!
Reference: “Cross-Energy Couplings from Magnetosonic Waves to Electromagnetic Ion Cyclotron Waves through Cold Ion Heating inside the Plasmasphere” by Kazushi Asamura, Masafumi Shoji, Yoshizumi Miyoshi, Yoshiya Kasahara, Yasumasa Kasaba, Atsushi Kumamoto, Fuminori Tsuchiya, Shoya Matsuda, Ayako Matsuoka, Mariko Teramoto, Yoichi Kazama, and Iku Shinohara, 10 December 2021, Physical Review Letters.
DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.127.245101
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3 Comments
Can these be detected by VLF “Whistler” researchers?
This total phenomea is a cyclic process of rotating plasma to gain stability through continus act of energy transfer,fromrotational plasma heat energy to electromagnetic energy.Hot proton generates kind of electromagnetic plasma wave MSW.Now,MSW interact with cold proton can make this partly hot and residueal energy to produce EMIC wave of plasma.This kind of interactuon of plasma wave-particle(proton) is valid;which at final stage produce killer electron with scattered energy.There no anomaly or collision anywhere in the midway.
This total phenomea is a cyclic process of rotating plasma to gain stability through continus act of energy transfer,fromrotational plasma heat energy to electromagnetic energy.Hot proton generates kind of electromagnetic plasma wave MSW.Now,MSW interact with cold proton can make this partly hot and residueal energy to produce EMIC wave of plasma.This kind of interactuon of plasma wave-particle(proton) is valid;which at final stage produce killer electron with scattered energy.There no anomaly or collision anywhere in the midway.
Rotation of plasma is natural phenomena.Change in amount of rotation is the change in heat energy contained.So to balance change in rotation or heat energy,a counter effect is generated in the form of energy flow.The constituent plasma particle proton undergoes a change through conversion of heat energy to electromagnetic wave or vice versa.At the terminal residual plasma wave energy and electron can be produced.