Quasi‐linear pitch angle diffusion coefficients: Retaining high harmonics

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Abstract
Diffusion coefficients for electrons pitch angle scattered by plasmaspheric hiss are reconsidered, as given by quasi‐linear theory, overcoming practical problems in keeping high cyclotron harmonics n. Upper bounds are used to identify ranges of latitude, n, and wave‐normal angle which give only negligible contributions, so that the detailed computation of these values may be avoided, resulting in large savings of computational effort. A simple way of obtaining precipitation lifetimes from the diffusion coefficients is also given, using a shooting method. The lifetimes and steady state fluxes are computed, leading to shorter lifetimes and lower fluxes than previously reported, for energies above 500 keV and McIlwain parameter L greater than 3.

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