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Space physics

A fast lane in the magnetosphere

Nature volume 504, pages 383–384 (2013)Cite this article

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A marriage between satellite observations and modelling has shown that acceleration of electrons in the magnetosphere can be explained by scattering of these particles by plasma oscillations known as chorus waves. See Letter p.411

Both dramatic dropout1 and increase2,3 in the flux of high-energy electrons trapped in Earth's dipole-like magnetic field have been reported along with the formation of a storage ring4 — a third 'radiation belt' nested between the usual inner and outer zones of million-electronvolt ionized particles (plasma) that surround Earth. This ring lies in a region called the slot, which is formed by scattering of electrons by plasma waves and their loss to the atmosphere5,6. On page 411 of this issue, Thorne et al.7 present convincing evidence for local acceleration of electrons by the same type of plasma wave or oscillation that causes electron loss — called a whistler wave because of its occurrence in the audio frequency range. This mode of oscillation occurs in two types depending on the density of the cold plasma in the inner region of the magnetosphere: 'hiss' and 'chorus'. These colourful names go back to the early days of listening to these modes with audio-range radio receivers8,9.

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Figure 1: Plasma waves in the magnetosphere.

AGU

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  1. Mary K. Hudson is in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire 03755-3528, USA.,

    Mary K. Hudson

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Correspondence to Mary K. Hudson.

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Hudson, M. A fast lane in the magnetosphere. Nature 504, 383–384 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/504383a

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