Wave normal angles of whistler mode chorus rising and falling tones

摘要

abstract_textpWe present a study of wave normal angles (theta(k)) of whistler mode chorus emission as observed by Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms (THEMIS) during the year 2008. The three inner THEMIS satellites THA, THD, and THE usually orbit Earth close to the dipole magnetic equator (+/- 20 degrees), covering a large range of L shells from the plasmasphere out to the magnetopause. Waveform measurements of electric and magnetic fields enable a detailed polarization analysis of chorus below 4 kHz. When displayed in a frequency-theta(k) histogram, four characteristic regions of occurrence are evident. They are separated by gaps at f/f(c,e) approximate to 0.5 (f is the chorus frequency, f(c,e) is the local electron cyclotron frequency) and at theta(k) similar to 40 degrees. Below theta(k) similar to 40 degrees, the average value for theta(k) is predominantly field aligned, but slightly increasing with frequency toward half of f(c,e) (theta(k) up to 20 degrees). Above half of f(c,e), the average theta(k) is again decreasing with frequency. Above theta(k) similar to 40 degrees, wave normal angles are usually close to the resonance cone angle. Furthermore, we present a detailed comparison of electric and magnetic fields of chorus rising and falling tones. Falling tones exhibit peaks in occurrence solely for theta(k) 40 degrees and are propagating close to the resonance cone angle. Nevertheless, when comparing rising tones to falling tones at theta(k) 40 degrees, the ratio of magnetic to electric field shows no significant differences. Thus, we conclude that falling tones are generated under similar conditions as rising tones, with common source regions close to the magnetic equatorial plane./p/abstract_text