Observational Analysis on the Relationship Between Chorus Waves and MeV Microburst Electron Precipitation

Abstract Microbursts are thought to be a key contributor to radiation belt electron loss, with chorus waves considered a primary driver of this precipitation. However, the conditions under which chorus waves produce MeV electron loss remain poorly constrained. This study investigates the relationship between chorus waves and relativistic microburst precipitation ( MeV) using 2.5 years (2010–2012) of observations from the THEMIS and SAMPEX missions. Spatial and temporal conjunction criteria are applied to identify potential associations between chorus wave detections and microburst events. We find that only a small fraction of chorus waves are associated with MeV microbursts, with coincidence rates of for min and for hr conjunction time. We further analyze wave magnetic amplitude, normalized amplitude, and fpe/fce. Despite prior event‐based studies suggesting strong association, our results indicate that only a limited subset of chorus waves contributes to relativistic microburst precipitation.