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. 2016 Sep 28;7:12883. doi: 10.1038/ncomms12883

Figure 4. Evolution of the electron pitch angle distribution.

Figure 4

All panels show the flux of electrons as a function of equatorial pitch angle and day of January 2013 at L*=3.9. Results of numerical simulations accounting for radial transport and scattering by VLF waves but without EMIC wave scattering are shown for (a) 1.02 MeV and (b) 4.2 MeV electrons. Simulations including EMIC wave scattering are shown for (c) 1.02 MeV and (d) 4.2 MeV electrons. Observations from the MagEIS and REPT instruments on the Van Allen Probes spacecraft are shown for (e) 1.02 MeV and (f) 4.2 MeV electrons. Observations of the narrowing of the pitch-angle distributions during the storm (f) presents clear telltale signatures of EMIC wave scattering and is very similar to the modelled evolution of pitch angle distributions including EMIC wave effects (d).