Scientists found a killer electron hot spot in Earth's Van Allen radiation belts

[Judi Lynn]

JAXA and NASA satellite observations show where killer electrons are generated in the Van Allen radiation belts surrounding Earth.

BY
AMIT MALEWAR
DECEMBER 14, 2019



Image: Multi-point satellite observations by JAXA/Arase and NASA/Van Allen Probes Electrons detected at Van Allen Probes position (left) drift to the Arase position (right) Credit: ERG Science Team


Scientists have known that electrons in Van Allen radiation belts that interact with ultralow frequency plasma waves accelerate to reach the speed of light. Notwithstanding, it has not been clear when or where these killer electrons begin to accelerate.

To gain more insight about the electrons, a collaboration between researchers in Japan, the USA, and Russia analyzed data generated by the Arase satellite and Van Allen Probe. Both satellites gather data from the Van Allen radiation belts, zones of energetic particles originating mainly from the solar wind. Earth’s magnetic field traps energetic particles in the belts.

They found a hot spot in Earth’s radiation belt where killer electrons, which can cause severe anomalies in satellites, form.

On one side of the Earth, the Van Allen Probe identified characteristic signs of interaction between ultralow frequency waves and energetic electrons. On the opposite side, at the same point in time, the Arase satellite identified high-energy electron signatures, but no ultralow frequency waves.

More:
https://www.techexplorist.com/killer-electron-hot-spot-earth-van-allen-radiation-belts/28529/?utm_source=BNA&utm_medium=BNA&utm_campaign=BNA

[eppur_se_muova]

1. "to reach the speed of light" ... um, no. Maybe very nearly the speed of light, but never equal. nt

[CloudWatcher]

2. Slightly longer article ...

Sad that that article leads with an error about reaching the speed of light!

Here's a longer article that appears to be better written ...

https://phys.org/news/2019-12-killer-electron-hot-earth-van.html

Btw, "killer electrons" are electrons that have gotten up to relativistic speeds. An older article from NASA about them:

https://www.nasa.gov/vision/universe/solarsystem/killer_electrons.html