A statistical study of EMIC rising and falling tone emissions observed by THEMIS

Abstract

Electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves with rising or falling frequency variations have been studied intensively because of their effects on energetic particles in the Earth's magnetosphere. We develop an automated classification method of EMIC events based on the characteristics of frequency variations. We report some basic statistical properties of frequency variations in EMIC waves observed over 5–10 RE by three Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms probes from January 2012 to December 2014. We clarify whether rising tones or falling tones are observed in each chosen 20 min time segment. In the present analysis, we find that the occurrence rate of EMIC rising or falling tone events is more than 30% of the total EMIC wave events. The dayside magnetosphere is a preferential region for the EMIC frequency variations. The occurrence rate of rising tone events is slightly greater than that of falling tone events. We examine the relation between the frequency characteristics and the magnetospheric conditions. The solar wind pressure strongly controls the occurrence rates of frequency variations. We also calculate ranges of frequency variations. Large-amplitude EMIC waves tend to have wider frequency variations, and the range of frequency variation is largest around the prenoon region. In addition, rapid variations in wave amplitudes called “subpacket structures” are found in 70% of the EMIC rising or falling tone events in the dayside region. Subpacket structures appear mainly in large-amplitude EMIC rising or falling tones. These features are consistent with nonlinear wave growth theory.