Properties of Lightning Generated Whistlers Based on Van Allen Probes Observations and Their Global Effects on Radiation Belt Electron Loss

Lightning generated whistlers (LGWs) play an important role in precipitating energetic electrons in the Earth's inner radiation belt and beyond. Wave burst data from the Van Allen Probes are used to unambiguously identify LGWs and analyze their properties at L < 4 by extending their frequencies down to similar to 100 liz for the first time. The statistical results show that LGWs typically occur at frequencies from 100 Hz to 10 kHz with the major wave power below the equatorial lower hybrid resonance frequency, and their wave amplitudes are typically strong at L < 3 with an occurrence rate up to similar to 30% on the nightside. The lifetime calculation indicates that LGWs play an important role in scattering electrons from tens of keV to several MeV at L < similar to 2.5. Our newly constructed LGW models are critical for evaluating the global effects of LGWs on energetic electron loss at L < 4. Plain Language Summary After initial lightning strikes, a type of plasma wave is generated, typically referred to as a lightning generated whistler (LGW), a portion of which can propagate into near-Earth space. These waves can interact with the trapped energetic electron population in the Earth's radiation belts, causing pitch angle scattering, and thus play an important role in energetic electron loss into the Earth's upper atmosphere. Using high-resolution wave burst data from the twin Van Allen Probes over the entire Van Allen Probes era (2012-2019), we evaluate the typical properties and global distributions of LGWs. The newly constructed LGW models are used to quantify their global effects on energetic electron loss in the near-Earth space and indicate that LGWs play an important role in scattering electrons over a broad energy range (tens of keV to several MeV) in the inner radiation belt and beyond.