C/NOFS-VEFI results on magnetic-latitude control over coupling of lightning-generated VLF into zero-hop whistlers

The C/NOFS satellite had a low-inclination (13 deg) orbit and provided multi-year observations (2008 - 2015) of the innermost plasmasphere within 26 deg of the magnetic equator. We report on VEFI (Vector Electric Field Instrument) recordings of zero-hop whistler-wave electric fields in this low-latitude region. We describe evidence regarding the VLF coupling variabilities, in particular versus magnetic latitude. We rely critically on data provided by the CINDI (C/NOFS Ion and Neutral Drift Investigation) measurements of the ion-composition, and by WWLLN (World-Wide Lightning-Location Network) groundtruthing of lightning-VLF source location, energy, and time. This low-latitude region has been predicted to permit only reduced VLF coupling, due essentially to a Snell's Law total reflection from the underside of the ionosphere. Nonetheless various studies of VLF coupling at discrete frequencies (from naval VLF transmitters) indicate that there is some intermittent, anomalous coupling not predicted by a simple Snell's Law. We address this problem using broadband illumination by lightning-generated VLF.