ULF waves in the inner magnetosphere (Invited)

Abstract:

Earth's magnetosphere is constantly subjected to disturbances in the solar wind and it also sustains plasma instabilities associated with geomagnetic storms and magnetospheric substorms. All these processes lead to excitation of ULF MHD waves in the inner magnetosphere, which includes the plasmasphere, the radiation belts, and the ring current. In this presentation, we review recent observations with both spacecraft and ground-based experiments to highlight several distinct types of waves that exist in the inner magnetosphere. Examples will include fast and shear Alfven waves driven by disturbances in the solar wind and Alfven waves driven by unstable particle populations in the ring current. We will also discuss interaction of the waves with energetic particles.