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GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS, VOL. 35, L19103, doi:10.1029/2008GL034834, 2008

Effects of plasma density irregularities on the pitch angle scattering of radiation belt electrons by signals from ground based VLF transmitters

T. F. Bell

STAR Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA


U. S. Inan

STAR Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA


D. Piddyachiy

STAR Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA


P. Kulkarni

STAR Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA


M. Parrot

LPCE, CNRS, Orleans, France


Abstract

Recent DEMETER spacecraft observations show that VLF signals from the NPM transmitter in Hawaii often strongly excite quasi-electrostatic whistler mode waves as the NPM signals propagate upward through plasma density irregularities. As a result of the NPM wave energy loss to the quasi-electrostatic waves, the transmitter signals will arrive at the radiation belts with less intensity than predicted by present models of VLF wave propagation and will produce less pitch angle scattering of energetic electrons than presently believed. This type of wave energy loss may be partially responsible for the pervasive wave intensity deficit for VLF transmitter signals in the plasmasphere recently noted by Starks et al. (2008).

Received 16 June 2008; accepted 25 August 2008; published 4 October 2008.

Keywords: wave scattering.

Index Terms: 0654 Electromagnetics: Plasmas; 0669 Electromagnetics: Scattering and diffraction; 0689 Electromagnetics: Wave propagation (2487, 3285, 4275, 4455, 6934); 2716 Magnetospheric Physics: Energetic particles: precipitating; 2768 Magnetospheric Physics: Plasmasphere.

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Citation: Bell, T. F., U. S. Inan, D. Piddyachiy, P. Kulkarni, and M. Parrot (2008), Effects of plasma density irregularities on the pitch angle scattering of radiation belt electrons by signals from ground based VLF transmitters, Geophys. Res. Lett., 35, L19103, doi:10.1029/2008GL034834.