Spatial distribution of protons at high and low altitudes in the radiation belts. Comparison of theory and experiment

Journal Article · Thu May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1986 · Cosmic Res. (Engl. Transl.); (United States)

OSTI ID:6988418

Panasyuk, M I; Reizman, S Y; Sosnovets, E N

A comparative analysis of experimental data on the spatial distributions of protons with energies (E) greater than 0.1 MeV at high and low latitudes, which were obtained on the Molniya-1, Kosmos-900, Elektron, and 1964-45A satellites, is carried out. As a result of the comparison of the experimental data relating to the measurements of protons with E - 0.2 MeV with the calculation including radial drift of particles under the action of electric and magnetic field fluctuations, it is shown that radial diffusion with a diffusion coefficient independent of geomagnetic latitude is the primary mechanism shaping the spatial distributions of protons at geomagnetic latitudes up to ..lambda.. approx. = 40/sup 0/. The results of the experiments and the calculations agree under the assumption of both magnetic and electric diffusion, but the latter case requires the inclusion of the model of a spatially inhomogeneous convection electric field. At ..lambda.. greater than or equal to 50/sup 0/ pitchangle scattering makes the primary contribution to the shaping of the spatial structure of the protons at low altitudes. A value of 2 less than or equal to n less than or equal to 4 is obtained for the exponent of the slope of the radial distribution of cold electrons N /sub e/ (r)..cap alpha.. /sup -n/ at 2 less than or equal to L less than or equal to 4.

• OSTI ID: 6988418
• Journal Information: Cosmic Res. (Engl. Transl.); (United States), Vol. 23:6
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
PROTONS
KEV RANGE 100-1000
SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION
RADIATION BELTS
FLUX DENSITY
RADIATION FLUX
ALTITUDE
CARBON IONS
ELECTRIC FIELDS
ELECTRONS
HELIUM IONS
KOSMOS SATELLITES
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MOLNIYA SATELLITES
OXYGEN IONS
PROTON TRANSPORT
BARYONS
CHARGED PARTICLES
CHARGED-PARTICLE TRANSPORT
DISTRIBUTION
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
ENERGY RANGE
FERMIONS
HADRONS
IONS
KEV RANGE
LEPTONS
NUCLEONS
RADIATION TRANSPORT
SATELLITES
640201* - Atmospheric Physics- Auroral
Ionospheric
& Magetospheric Phenomena