Radial transport of radiation belt electrons in kinetic field‐line resonances

A representative case study from the Van Allen Probes during a geomagnetic storm recovery phase reveals enhanced electron fluxes at intermediate pitch angles over energies from ~100 keV to 5 MeV coincident with broadband low‐frequency electromagnetic waves. The statistical properties of these waves are used to build a model for radial diffusion via drift‐bounce resonances in kinetic Alfvén eigenmodes/kinetic field‐line resonances. Estimated diffusion coefficients indicate timescales for radial transport on the order of hours in storm time events at energies from <100 keV to MeVs over equatorial pitch angles from the edge of the loss cone to nearly perpendicular to the geomagnetic field. The correlation of kinetic resonances with electron depletions and enhancements during storm main phase and recovery, and the rapid diffusion these waves drive, suggests that they may modulate the outer radiation belt. Kinetic resonances of the geomagnetic field drive radial transport of outer radiation belt electrons via drift‐bounce resonanceRadial diffusion in these waves drives depletion/enhancement of outer radiation belt electron fluxes over energies from ~100 keV to multiple MeVThese waves may play a role in the rapid variation of the outer radiation belt during geomagnetic storms