Relativistic electrons tagged posts

Geophysicists studied the activity of high energy electrons and clarified the unexpected protective role of the geomagnetic field surrounding the Earth.

Understanding the ionosphere high in the Earth’s atmosphere is important due to its effects on communications systems, satellites and crucial chemical features including the ozone layer. New insights into the activity of high energy electrons have come from a simulation study led by geophysicist Yuto Katoh at Tohoku University, reported in the journal Earth, Planets and Space.

“Our results clarify the unexpected role of the geomagnetic field surrounding the Earth in protecting the atmosphere from high energy electrons,” says Katoh.

The ionosphere is a wide region between roughly 6...

During a strong geomagnetic storm, electrons at relativistic energies, which are usually only found in the outer radiation belt, are pushed in close to Earth and populate the inner belt. While the electrons in the slot region quickly decay, the inner belt electrons can remain for many months.
Credits: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center/Mary Pat Hrybyk-Keithm

New observations from NASA’s Van Allen Probes mission show that the fastest, most energetic electrons in the inner radiation belt are not present as much of the time as previously thought. The results show that there typically isn’t as much radiation in the inner belt as previously assumed – good news for spacecraft flying in the region.

Past space missions have not been able to distinguish electrons from high-energy protons in the in...