Joint HEP/Theory Seminar: Quantifying the contribution of microbursts to global electron loss

Electron microbursts are rapid bursts of precipitation in radiation belts of the Earth that occur on the scale of ~tens of ms. Studies suggest microbursts may be able to empty the radiation belts on the time scale of a day and are associated with chorus waves. We will go over the basics of radiation belt dynamics and dig into what microbursts are. We then explore the ability of microbursts to empty the radiation belts on the scale of several days and mechanisms that can affect the precipitation. We will end with a look at the Compact Radiation belt Explorer (CeREs) and what the next generation of cubesats will inform us about microbursts.