Efficiency of nonlinear resonant acceleration of electrons by high-frequency whistler-mode waves in the Earth’s radiation belt, Earth’s magnetotail, and at the bow shock.

Electromagnetic whistler-mode waves observed within the Earth’s radiation belts, in the Earth’s magnetotail, and at the bow shock may have sufficiently high amplitudes to resonate with electrons nonlinearly. In inhomogeneous background magnetic field such nonlinear resonant interactions should result in electron acceleration. In this presentation we compare efficiency of such acceleration for plasma parameters characteristic for the inner magnetosphere, magnetotail, and Earth’s bow shock. We show that despite a clear similarity in basic physics of electron acceleration for these three plasma systems, the efficiency of this acceleration is quite different. We also discuss observational evidence of nonlinear resonant interactions and possible approaches for modeling effects of such interactions in large-scale simulation setups.