Direct evidence for efficient scattering of suprathermal electrons by whistler mode waves in the Martian magnetosphere

Whistler mode waves are critical emissions in magnetized plasmas that usually influence the electron dynamics in a planetary magnetosphere.In this paper,we present a unique event in the Martian magnetosphere in which enhanced whistler mode waves(~10^(−11) V^(2)/m^(2)/Hz)with frequency of 0.1 f_(ce)-0.5 f_(ce) occurred,based on MAVEN data,exactly corresponding to a significant decrease of suprathermal electron fluxes.The diffusion coefficients are calculated by using the observed electric field wave spectra.The pitch angle diffusion coefficient can approach 10^(−2) s^(−1),which is much larger,by~100 times,than the momentum diffusion coefficient,indicating that pitch angle scattering dominates the whistler-electron resonance process.The current results can successfully explain the dropout of the suprathermal electrons in this event.This study provides direct evidence for whistler-driven electron losses in the Martian magnetosphere.

Exohiss wave enhancement following substorm electron injection in the dayside magnetosphere

Exohiss is a low-frequency structureless whistler-mode emission potentially contributing to the precipitation loss of radiation belt electrons outside the plasmasphere. Exohiss is usually considered the plasmaspheric hiss leaked out of the dayside plasmapause.However, the evolution of exohiss after the leakage has not been fully understood. Here we report the prompt enhancements of exohiss waves following substorm injections observed by Van Allen Probes. Within several minutes, the energetic electron fluxes around 100 keV were enhanced by up to 5 times, accompanied by an up to 10-time increase of the exohiss wave power. These substorm-injected electrons are shown to produce a new peak of linear growth rate in the exohiss band(< 0.1 f_(ce)). The corresponding path-integrated growth rate of wave power within 10° latitude of the magnetic equatorial plane can reach 13.4, approximately explaining the observed enhancement of exohiss waves. These observations and simulations suggest that the substorm-injected energetic electrons could amplify the preexisting exohiss waves.

A machine-learning-based electron density (MLED) model in the inner magnetosphere

Plasma density is an important factor in determining wave-particle interactions in the magnetosphere.We develop a machine-learning-based electron density(MLED)model in the inner magnetosphere using electron density data from Van Allen Probes between September 25,2012 and August 30,2019.This MLED model is a physics-based nonlinear network that employs fundamental physical principles to describe variations of electron density.It predicts the plasmapause location under different geomagnetic conditions,and models separately the electron densities of the plasmasphere and of the trough.We train the model using gradient descent and backpropagation algorithms,which are widely used to deal effectively with nonlinear relationships among physical quantities in space plasma environments.The model gives explicit expressions with few parameters and describes the associations of electron density with geomagnetic activity,solar cycle,and seasonal effects.Under various geomagnetic conditions,the electron densities calculated by this model agree well with empirical observations and provide a good description of plasmapause movement.This MLED model,which can be easily incorporated into previously developed radiation belt models,promises to be very helpful in modeling and improving forecasting of radiation belt electron dynamics.

Plug Seedling Production of Short Vine Type Sweet Potato Variety‘Ganshu No.2’

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of different vine cuttings and provide a fast method for production of high-quality sweet potato seedlings.With short vine type‘Ganshu No.2'as an experiment material,biological characteristics of sweet potato seedlings were investigated by setting three vine sections( the ingle-node section,dual-node section and three-node top bud section) using three kinds of substrates( red soil,leaf mould and pond sludge).The results showed that the dual-node vine section plus leaf mould treatment sprouted earliest( 3 d) with the highest survival rate( 86.6%),root number( 9.2 roots) and the longest root length( 5.9 cm),compared with other treatments.Therefore,dual-node vine section plus leaf mould plug seedling raising has the characteristics of short sprouting time,high survival rate and low cost.The method could provide seedlings in a short period( 20 d),improves sweet potato propagation coefficient and is worth extending and applying.