Blog Post Image: Scientists solve a decades-old mystery in the Earth’s upper atmosphere

Schematic illustration of electron acceleration by ‘chorus’. The top panel shows electron fluxes before (left) and after (right) a geomagnetic storm. The injection of low-energy plasma sheet electrons into the inner magnetosphere (1) causes chorus wave excitation in the low-density region outside the cold plasmasphere (2). Local energy diffusion associated with wave scattering leads to the development of strongly enhanced phase space density just outside the plasmapause (3). Subsequently, radial diffusion can redistribute the accelerated electrons inwards or outwards from the developing peak (4). Image credit: University of California (Click image to enlarge)

(Visited 26 times, 1 visits today)