Polar PWI and CEPPAD observations of chorus emissions and radiation belt electron acceleration: Four case studies

We investigated the role of whistler-mode chorus in accelerating outer radiation belt electrons during four moderate geomagnetic storms when data from the Polar Plasma Wave Investigation (PWI) were available. The storm time periods we examined included two storms associated with coronal mass ejections (CMEs), the well-studied January 10-13,1997 International Solar Terrestrial Physics event and the May 12-15,1997 event. We compared these two storms with two geomagnetically active periods that were not associated with CMEs. Although strong chorus emissions were observed during all four events, the association of electron acceleration with chorus emissions is not clear. During all four events, the Polar Comprehensive Energetic Particle and Pitch Angle Distribution (CEPPAD) experiment observed increases in the fluxes of energetic electrons (0.8<6.4 MeV). The two events associated with CMEs featured a sudden increase in the electron fluxes above 0.8 MeV that may have been related to the impact of the CME shock wave upon the magnetosphere. The other two events featured more gradual increases in the electron fluxes over a period of several days. The data from these events indicate that the role played by resonant interactions with chorus in accelerating electrons may depend on the upstream solar wind conditions driving the storm. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.