Banded structures in electron pitch angle diffusion coefficients from resonant wave-particle interactions
Electron pitch angle (D{sub αα}) and momentum (D{sub pp}) diffusion coefficients have been calculated due to resonant interactions with electrostatic electron cyclotron harmonic (ECH) and whistler mode chorus waves. Calculations have been performed at two spatial locations L = 4.6 and 6.8 for electron energies ≤10 keV. Landau (n = 0) resonance and cyclotron harmonic resonances n = ±1, ±2, … ±5 have been included in the calculations. It is found that diffusion coefficient versus pitch angle (α) profiles show large dips and oscillations or banded structures. The structures are more pronounced for ECH and lower band chorus (LBC) and particularly at location 4.6. Calculations of diffusion coefficients have also been performed for individual resonances. It is noticed that the main contribution of ECH waves in pitch angle diffusion coefficient is due to resonances n = +1 and n = +2. A major contribution to momentum diffusion coefficients appears from n = +2. However, the banded structures in D{sub αα} and D{sub pp} coefficients appear only in the profile of diffusion coefficients for n = +2. The contribution of other resonances to diffusion coefficients is found to be, in general, quite small or even negligible. For LBC and upper band chorus waves, the banded structures appear only in Landau resonance. The D{sub pp} diffusion coefficient for ECH waves is one to two orders smaller than D{sub αα} coefficients. For chorus waves, D{sub pp} coefficients are about an order of magnitude smaller than D{sub αα} coefficients for the case n ≠ 0. In case of Landau resonance, the values of D{sub pp} coefficient are generally larger than the values of D{sub αα} coefficients particularly at lower energies. As an aid to the interpretation of results, we have also determined the resonant frequencies. For ECH waves, resonant frequencies have been estimated for wave normal angle 89° and harmonic resonances n = +1, +2, and +3, whereas for whistler mode waves, the frequencies have been calculated for angle 10° and Landau resonance. Further, in ECH waves, the banded structures appear for electron energies ≥1 keV, and for whistler mode chorus waves, structures appear for energies >2 keV at L = 4.6 and above 200 eV for L = 6.8. The results obtained in the present work will be helpful in the study of diffusion curves and will have important consequences for diffuse aurora and pancake distributions.