Whistler waves in the Earth's magnetosphere and in the young solar wind: modeling and observations

• Grant number: 25/04528-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: August 01, 2025
• End date: May 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Geosciences - Geophysics
• Principal Investigator: Livia Ribeiro Alves
• Grantee: Gislayne Medeiros da Nóbrega
• Host Institution: Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (INPE). Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação (Brasil). São José dos Campos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The acceleration, transport, and loss of particles in the inner magnetosphere are driven by wave-particle resonant interactions that violate the adiabatic invariants. The interactions between electrons and electromagnetic waves have been widely studied using quasi-linear theory. This approach describes the diffusion mechanism of energy and pitch angle. In the pitch diffusion, scattering can cause electrons' pitch angles to change, eventually placing them within the loss cone, where they may be lost through collisions with atmospheric ions. Therefore, the main objective of this research project is to investigate the whistler wave parameters related to modeling the wave-particle interactions in the inner magnetosphere. In addition, we aim to apply some tools to analyze the detection of whistler waves in the young solar wind. These tools are important to calculate the pitch angle diffusion coefficient D¿¿ applied to whistler waves under various plasma conditions. Using the large amount of data provided by over seven years of Van Allen Probes and six years of Parker Solar Probe observations, this study aims to develop a comprehensive analytical model for whistler waves in the inner part of Earth's magnetosphere, followed by the analysis of the whistler waves in the borders of magnetic field switchbacks within the young solar wind. The model aims to investigate the waves' properties as functions of solar wind and interplanetary magnetic field conditions obtained with the ACE spacecraft and Parker Solar Probe. For the magnetospheric purposes, different levels of geomagnetic activity quantified by the AE, Dst, and Kp indices are considered in our analysis. On the other hand, the properties of whistler waves in the young solar wind are examined here using the same theory and tools applied to Earth's magnetosphere.The outcomes of this research can be incorporated further into particle flux models to improve space weather monitoring and forecasting. (AU)