Combined Effects of Equatorial Chorus Waves and High‐Latitude Z‐Mode Waves on Saturn's Radiation Belt Electrons. Issue 15 (8th August 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Yu, J.; Li, L.Y.; Cui, J.; Cao, J.B.; Wang, J.
• Is Part Of: Geophysical research letters. Volume 46:Issue 15(2019)
• Page Start: 8624
• Page End: 8632
• Publication Date: 2019-08-08
• Subjects: chorus waves -- Z‐mode waves -- Saturn's radiation belt -- electron diffusion; Geophysics -- Periodicals; Planets -- Periodicals; Lunar geology -- Periodicals; 550
• DOI: 10.1029/2019GL084004
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0094-8276

Abstract

Abstract: In this paper, we examined the combined effects of equatorial chorus waves and high‐latitude Z‐mode waves on the energy and pitch angle distribution of Saturn's radiation belt electrons. Our simulation results show that these two types of waves at different latitudes jointly control the fluxes of Saturn's radiation belt electrons, which is very different from the individual effects of each kind of waves. The presence of Z‐mode waves can efficiently inhibit the reversed energy spectrum of electrons driven by chorus waves, whereas the presence of chorus waves can further accelerate and scatter the relativistic electrons accelerated by Z‐mode waves toward the larger and smaller pitch angles. Our findings provide a new insight on how different types of waves at different latitudes jointly affect the radiation belt electron dynamics, including, but not limited to, Saturn. Key Points: Chorus waves and Z‐mode waves at different latitudes jointly control the fluxes of relativistic electrons in Saturn's radiation belt Z‐mode waves can efficiently inhibit the reversed energy spectrum of electrons driven by chorus waves Chorus waves can further accelerate and scatter relativistic electrons accelerated by Z‐mode waves toward larger and smaller pitch angles