Whistler‐mode extremely low frequency hiss emissions commonly exist in the plasmasphere and the plasmaspheric plume and contribute to the precipitation loss of the radiation belt electrons. How these hiss waves are generated remains a critical unanswered question. Here we report the large‐amplitude (up to 1.5 nT) hiss waves in the plasmaspheric plumes, nearly an order of magnitude stronger than previous observations. These waves are found to propagate toward higher latitudes, and the corresponding frequency dependence of wave power can be qualitatively (but not quantitatively) explained by the modeled linear instability of hot electrons near the equator. At the high‐frequency end of hiss spectra, the discrete rising tones are shown to emerge, similar to the situation of whistler‐mode chorus in the plasmatrough. These data and modeling suggest that these large‐amplitude hiss waves were generated within the plasmaspheric plume probably through a combination of linear and nonlinear instabilities of hot electrons.

Magnetosonic waves are highly oblique whistler mode emissions transferring energy from the ring current protons to the radiation belt electrons in the inner magnetosphere. Here we present the first report of prompt disappearance and emergence of magnetosonic waves induced by the solar wind dynamic pressure variations. The solar wind dynamic pressure reduction caused the magnetosphere expansion, adiabatically decelerated the ring current protons for the Bernstein mode instability, and produced the prompt disappearance of magnetosonic waves. On the contrary, because of the adiabatic acceleration of the ring current protons by the solar wind dynamic pressure enhancement, magnetosonic waves emerged suddenly. In the absence of impulsive injections of hot protons, magnetosonic waves were observable even only during the time period with the enhanced solar wind dynamic pressure. Our results demonstrate that the solar wind dynamic pressure is an essential parameter for modeling of magnetosonic waves and their effect on the radiation belt electrons.

Magnetosonic whistler mode waves play an important role in the radiation belt electron dynamics. Previous theory has suggested that these waves are excited by the ring distributions of hot protons and can propagate radially and azimuthally over a broad spatial range. However, because of the challenging requirements on satellite locations and data processing techniques, this theory was difficult to validate directly. Here we present some experimental tests of the theory on the basis of Van Allen Probes observations of magnetosonic waves following substorm injections. At higher L shells with significant substorm injections, the discrete magnetosonic emission lines started approximately at the proton gyrofrequency harmonics, qualitatively consistent with the prediction of linear proton Bernstein mode instability. In the frequency‐time spectrograms, these emission lines exhibited a clear rising tone characteristic with a long duration of 15–25 min, implying the additional contribution of other undiscovered mechanisms. Nearly at the same time, the magnetosonic waves arose at lower L shells without substorm injections. The wave signals at two different locations, separated by ΔL up to 2.0 and by ΔMLT up to 4.2, displayed the consistent frequency‐time structures, strongly supporting the hypothesis about the radial and azimuthal propagation of magnetosonic waves.

Plasmaspheric hiss plays a key role in shaping the radiation belt environment, whose origin remains under active debate. Using the wave and particle data of Van Allen Probes, Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites, and Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorm spacecraft, we here examine the nightside plasmaspheric hiss generation during a substorm. The substorm-electron injection caused the plasmapause to shrink promptly from L pp = 6.6 to 5.1. Corresponding to the azimuthal drift of the injected electrons, the plasmaspheric hiss was intensified gradually from nightside to dayside. Particularly, in the inner postmidnight plasmasphere free from the substorm injection, the instantaneous peak amplitude of hiss reached 0.9 nT. The enhanced hiss within the locally unchanged plasma must originate from other spatial regions. Our data and modeling demonstrate that the large-amplitude hiss was generated by the substorm-injected electrons drifting into the outer postmidnight plasmasphere, rather than linked to the nightside chorus suffering strong Landau damping or the dayside chorus/hiss propagating azimuthally to the nightside plasmasphere.Plain Language Summary Plasmaspheric hiss, a naturally occurring electromagnetic emission (0.1-2.0 kHz) in the dense cold plasma surrounding the Earth, can precipitate energetic electrons from the Van Allen radiation belts into the atmosphere. Since its discovery in 1969, the origin of plasmaspheric hiss has remained a puzzle to be solved. We here use the data of seven magnetospheric spacecraft to investigate the nightside plasmaspheric hiss generation during a substorm. Corresponding to the azimuthal drift of substorm-injection front, the plasmaspheric hiss is found to be intensified gradually from nightside to dayside. In the inner nightside plasmasphere free from the substorm injection, the instantaneous peak amplitude of hiss is shown to increase from less than 40 pT to 0.9 nT. Within the locally unchanged plasma, the substorm-enhanced hiss must originate from other spatial regions. Our data and modeling support the previously proposed hypothesis that the nightside hiss is excited by the hot electrons in the outer plasmasphere and then propagates to the inner plasmasphere. This experimental confirmation will allow further developments in modeling and forecasting of the plasmaspheric hiss spatiotemporal distribution and the Earth's radiation belt behavior.

Magnetospheric whistler mode waves are of great importance in the radiation belt electron dynamics. Here on the basis of the analysis of a rare event with the simultaneous disappearances of whistler mode plasmaspheric hiss, exohiss, and chorus triggered by a sudden decrease in the solar wind dynamic pressure, we provide evidences for the following physical scenarios: (1) nonlinear generation of chorus controlled by the geomagnetic field inhomogeneity, (2) origination of plasmaspheric hiss from chorus, and (3) leakage of plasmaspheric hiss into exohiss. Following the reduction of the solar wind dynamic pressure, the dayside geomagnetic field configuration with the enhanced inhomogeneity became unfavorable for the generation of chorus, and the quenching of chorus directly caused the disappearances of plasmaspheric hiss and then exohiss.