Quasi-parallel Whistler Waves and Their Interaction with Resonant Electrons during High-velocity Bulk Flows in the Earth’s Magnetotail

Abstract

Abstract In collisionless space, plasma waves are important channels of energy conversion, affecting the local particle velocity distribution functions through wave–particle interactions. In this paper we present a comparative statistical analysis of the characteristics of quasi-parallel narrowband whistler waves and the properties of resonant electrons interacting with these waves during the intervals of earthward and tailward high-velocity bulk flows produced by the near-Earth X-line and observed by Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission spacecraft. We found that on both sides of the X-line, the suprathermal electrons (≥1 keV) having large pitch angles make the major contribution to the maximal growth rate (γ) of these waves. The whistler waves were observed almost simultaneously with strong enhancements of perpendicular magnetic gradients localized at electron scales near dipolarization fronts associated with the earthward bulk flows, and near flux ropes/magnetic islands embedded into the tailward bulk flows. Betatron energization of electrons due to the appearance of such gradients increases the perpendicular anisotropy of electron distribution, which could be responsible for the whistler wave generation. We found that in the course of electron interactions with the whistler waves the lower-energy resonant electrons can transfer a part of their kinetic energy to the higher-energy electrons, especially in the Central Plasma Sheet. This results in formation/enhancement of energy-dependent perpendicular anisotropy and power-law tails in the high-energy range of electron velocity distribution. We conclude that despite the differences in the magnetic structure of the earthward and tailward bulk flows, the mechanisms of the quasi-parallel whistler wave generation and the properties of resonant electrons are quite similar.