Influence of Magnetospheric Environments on Nonlinear Wave-Particle Interactions

Principal Investigator: Dr. Yu Jiang

Period：2021-2024

Project Description:

Wave-particle interaction plays a key role in the evolution of radiation belt particles. Nonlinear wave-particle interaction is suggested to greatly contribute to the rapid changes of radiation belt particles. Previous studies on the nonlinear wave-particle interaction are mostly under the assumptions of the dipole magnetic field and the cold plasma approximation. However, these two assumptions are sometimes inappropriate during the active times. This project is aimed at developing a test-particle model including the hot plasma effect in a non-dipole magnetic field model on the basic of particle motion equations in the electromagnetic field. Based on this model, a parametric study will be conducted to investigate how the background magnetic field and hot plasmas impact on the nonlinear wave-particle interaction. Combined with in-situ measurements from satellites, the model will be applied to study the nonlinear wave-particle interaction and its effect on the changes of radiation belt electrons in the realistic space environment.