To improve our understanding of the role of electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves in radiation belt electron dynamics, we perform a comprehensive analysis of EMIC wave‐induced resonant scattering of outer zone relativistic (>0.5 MeV) electrons and resultant electron loss time scales with respect to EMIC wave band, L shell, and wave normal angle model. The results demonstrate that while H+‐band EMIC waves dominate the scattering losses of ~1–4 MeV outer zone relativistic electrons, it is He+‐band and O+‐band waves that prevail over the pitch angle diffusion of ultrarelativistic electrons at higher energies. Given the wave amplitude, EMIC waves at higher L shells tend to resonantly interact with a larger population of outer zone relativistic electrons and drive their pitch angle scattering more efficiently. Obliquity of EMIC waves can reduce the efficiency of wave‐induced relativistic electron pitch angle scattering. Compared to the frequently adopted parallel or quasi‐parallel model, use of the latitudinally varying wave normal angle model produces the largest decrease in H+‐band EMIC wave scattering rates at pitch angles < ~40° for electrons > ~5 MeV. At a representative nominal amplitude of 1 nT, EMIC wave scattering produces the equilibrium state (i.e., the lowest normal mode under which electrons at the same energy but different pitch angles decay exponentially on the same time scale) of outer belt relativistic electrons within several to tens of minutes and the following exponential decay extending to higher pitch angles on time scales from <1 min to ~1 h. The electron loss cone can be either empty as a result of the weak diffusion or heavily/fully filled due to approaching the strong diffusion limit, while the trapped electron population at high pitch angles close to 90° remains intact because of no resonant scattering. In this manner, EMIC wave scattering has the potential to deepen the anisotropic distribution of outer zone relativistic electrons by reshaping their pitch angle profiles to “top‐hat.” Overall, H+‐band and He+‐band EMIC waves are most efficient in producing the pitch angle scattering loss of relativistic electrons at ~1–2 MeV. In contrast, the presence of O+‐band EMIC waves, while at a smaller occurrence rate, can dominate the scattering loss of 5–10 MeV electrons in the entire region of the outer zone, which should be considered in future modeling of the outer zone relativistic electron dynamics.

[1] Dipolarization fronts (DFs) are frequently detected in the Earth's magnetotail from X GSM = À30 R E to X GSM = À7 R E . How these DFs are formed is still poorly understood. Three possible mechanisms have been suggested in previous simulations: (1) jet braking, (2) transient reconnection, and (3) spontaneous formation. Among these three mechanisms, the first has been verified by using spacecraft observation, while the second and third have not. In this study, we show Cluster observation of DFs inside reconnection diffusion region. This observation provides in situ evidence of the second mechanism: Transient reconnection can produce DFs. We suggest that the DFs detected in the near-Earth region (X GSM > À10 R E ) are primarily attributed to jet braking, while the DFs detected in the mid-or far-tail region (X GSM < À15 R E ) are primarily attributed to transient reconnection or spontaneous formation. In the jetbraking mechanism, the high-speed flow "pushes" the preexisting plasmas to produce the DF so that there is causality between high-speed flow and DF. In the transientreconnection mechanism, there is no causality between highspeed flow and DF, because the frozen-in condition is violated. Citation: Fu, H. S., et al. (2013), Dipolarization fronts as a consequence of transient reconnection: In situ evidence, Geophys. Res. Lett., 40,[6023][6024][6025][6026][6027]

Dipolarization fronts (DFs) are believed to play important roles in transferring plasmas, magnetic fluxes, and energies in the magnetotail. Using the Cluster observations in 2003, electromagnetic energy conversion at the DFs is investigated by case and statistical studies. The case study indicates strongest energy conversion at the DF. The statistical study shows the similar features that the energy of the fields can be significantly transferred to the plasmas (load, J · E > 0) at the DFs. These results are consistent with some recent simulations. Examining the electromagnetic fluctuations at the DFs, we suggest that the wave activities around the lower hybrid frequency may play an important role in the energy dissipation.

[1] The role of waves and turbulence in the process of magnetic reconnection has been the subject of a great deal of studies and debates in the theoretical literature. Here we report the Cluster observations of electrostatic and electromagnetic waves near the lower hybrid frequency in the reconnection region with a thin current sheet. During the crossing of the separatrix with the reversal of plasma flow and Hall magnetic fields, strong electrostatic fluctuations near the lower hybrid frequency were observed, and the waves were polarized with a large angle to the ambient magnetic field. Strong electromagnetic fluctuations were observed in the center of the current sheet in the diffusion region. The dispersion properties of the electromagnetic wave are studied by using the interferometer method and are compared with the properties of lower hybrid drift instability. The role of the waves in reconnection is discussed.

Whistler waves are believed to play an important role during magnetic reconnection. Here we report the near‐simultaneous occurrence of two types of the whistler‐mode waves in the magnetotail Hall reconnection region. The first type is observed in the magnetic pileup region of downstream and propagates away to downstream along the field lines and is possibly generated by the electron temperature anisotropy at the magnetic equator. The second type, propagating toward the X line, is found around the separatrix region and probably is generated by the electron beam‐driven whistler instability or Čerenkov emission from electron phase‐space holes. These observations of two different types of whistler waves are consistent with recent kinetic simulations and suggest that the observed whistler waves are a consequence of magnetic reconnection.