Excitation of chorus with small wave normal angles due to beam pulse amplifier (BPA) mechanism in density ducts

Abstract

We examine specific features of the realisation of the beam pulse amplifier (BPA) mechanism of chorus excitation in the density ducts that have a width of the order of 100–300 km with refractive reflection. The dispersion characteristics of whistler emissions in a planar duct under conditions for the fulfilment of the Wentzel–Kramers–Brillouin (WKB) approximation and refractive reflection from the “walls” of the duct are analysed. It is shown that in the enhanced duct, discrete spectral elements of chorus with a narrow angular spectrum along the external magnetic field can be excited at frequencies somewhat lower than half of the electron cyclotron frequency. In the depleted duct at frequencies somewhat higher than half of the electron cyclotron frequency, chorus with a narrow angular spectrum along the magnetic field can be excited. The proposed model explains the possibility of excitation of chorus with small angles of the wave normal when the BPA mechanism is implemented. It is noted that the properties of chorus, such as the intensity and a typical angle of the wave normal, can be different for the lower- and upper-band chorus.