Nonresonant interactions of electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves with relativistic electrons

The dynamics of relativistic electrons traveling through a parallel-propagating, monochromatic electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) wave in the Earth's dipole field are investigated via test particle simulations. Both resonant and nonresonant responses in electron pitch angle are considered, and the differences between the two are highlighted. Nonresonant electrons, with energies below the minimum resonant energy down to hundreds of keV, are scattered stochastically in pitch angle and can be scattered into the atmospheric loss cone. The nonresonant effect is attributed to the spatial edge associated with EMIC wave packets. A condition for effective nonresonant response is also provided. This effect is excluded from current quasi-linear theory and can be a potentially important loss mechanism of relativistic and subrelativistic electrons in the radiation belts.