Waves and wave-particle interactions in the magnetosphere: A review

Recent space observations of waves, both electromagnetic and electrostatic, are reviewed and the role which they can play in the dynamics of magnetospheric particles is stressed. Wave particle interactions (WPI) in the exo- and intra-plasmaspheric media depend on the exact process of particle injection under the influence of magnetospheric electric fields, and on the spatial distribution of the cold plasma particles; these two aspects of the problem are studied to some extent. The concepts of optimum cold plasma density, critical energy, limiting flux, marginal stability, steady-state equilibrium are critically discussed. The non-linear aspects — both experimental and theoretical — of WPI's are reviewed and a special section is devoted to active experiments in space. An attempt is made to outline which kind of experiments could be made at high-latitudes, in conjunction with IMS spacecrafts, in order to arrive at a better understanding of magnetospheric processes involving waves and particles.Paper presented at the Esro Symposium on European Sounding Rocket and Scientific Balloon Activity at High Latitudes with Emphasis on the International Magnetospheric Study (Örenäs Slott, Sweden, 1974).