Latitudinal Mapping of Chorus Waves Growth Rates Based on Multi-Spacecraft Wave and Plasma Measurements

Abstract

Whistler mode chorus waves are one of the most intense and important electromagnetic emissions in the Earth's radiation belt, where these waves are responsible for electron acceleration to relativistic energies and for energetic electron precipitation into the Earth's atmosphere. This study reports a unique multi-spacecraft observation event that allowed for the first time to verify theoretical models of chorus wave generation. The growth rates derived from the multi-spacecraft observations of chorus waves Cluster WBD electric field waveforms collected during the crossing of the equatorial source region were compared to the theoretical linear and nonlinear growth rates calculated using simultaneous PEACE electron measurements. We have revealed that the growth rate estimated from wave measurements is substantially higher than the estimated linear growth rate but is quite close to the estimated nonlinear growth rate. A notable wave amplification is found up to 5 degrees of magnetic latitude and higher.