Response to Reviewer No_3

Abstract

Kappa distributions describe velocities and energies of plasma populations in space plasmas. The statistical origin of these distributions is associated with the framework of nonextensive statistical mechanics. Indeed, the kappa distribution is derived by maximizing the q entropy of Tsallis, under the constraints of the canonical ensemble. However, the question remains as to what the physical origin of this entropic formulation is. This paper shows that the q entropy can be derived by adapting the additivity of energy and entropy.

Nondiffusive Pitch‐Angle Scattering of a Distribution of Energetic Particles by Coherent Whistler Waves

“…Second, the particle temperature is assumed for simplicity to be isotropic, whereas observations indicate that electron temperature in the magnetosphere in general is anisotropic and electron distribution functions can be more complex than simple anisotropic distributions (Li et al, 2010). The transition to an anisotropic Maxwell-Jüttner distribution is outlined in Livadiotis (2016) and Treumann and Baumjohann (2016).…”