Controlled precipitation of radiation belt electrons

[1] First-order estimates indicate that the lifetime of energetic ( a few MeV) electrons in the inner radiation belts ( e. g., near L = 2) may be significantly reduced by in situ injection of whistler mode waves at radiated power levels of a few kW at frequencies of a few kHz. Our estimates are based on previously published results concerning the effect on the electron lifetimes of VLF signals from ground-based VLF transmitters operating in the 17 - 23 kHz range. Waves at lower frequencies ( a few kHz) can drive diffusion rates that are higher by a factor of as much as similar to30 and can also be efficiently stored in the magnetospheric cavity, resulting in additional effective enhancement of wave power density of a factor of similar to16. This wave power enhancement is also expected to enhance the MeV electron diffusion rates.