The detection of ultra-relativistic electrons in low Earth orbit
Aims. To better understand the radiation environment in low Earth orbit (LEO), the analysis of in-situ observations of a variety of particles, at different atmospheric heights, and in a wide range of energies, is needed. Methods. We present an analysis of energetic particles, indirectly detected by...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
EDP Sciences
2018-01-01
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| Series: | Journal of Space Weather and Space Climate |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1051/swsc/2017041 |
| _version_ | 1811270755824959488 |
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| author | Katsiyannis Athanassios C. Dominique Marie Pierrard Viviane Rosson Graciela Lopez Keyser Johan De Berghmans David Kruglanski Michel Dammasch Ingolf E. Donder Erwin De |
| author_facet | Katsiyannis Athanassios C. Dominique Marie Pierrard Viviane Rosson Graciela Lopez Keyser Johan De Berghmans David Kruglanski Michel Dammasch Ingolf E. Donder Erwin De |
| author_sort | Katsiyannis Athanassios C. |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Aims. To better understand the radiation environment in low Earth orbit (LEO), the analysis of in-situ observations of a variety of particles, at different atmospheric heights, and in a wide range of energies, is needed. Methods. We present an analysis of energetic particles, indirectly detected by the large yield radiometer (LYRA) instrument on board ESA's project for on-board autonomy 2 (PROBA2) satellite as background signal. Combining energetic particle telescope (EPT) observations with LYRA data for an overlapping period of time, we identified these particles as electrons with an energy range of 2 to 8 MeV. Results. The observed events are strongly correlated to geo-magnetic activity and appear even during modest disturbances. They are also well confined geographically within the L = 4–6 McIlwain zone, which makes it possible to identify their source. Conclusions. Although highly energetic particles are commonly perturbing data acquisition of space instruments, we show in this work that ultra-relativistic electrons with energies in the range of 2–8 MeV are detected only at high latitudes, while not present in the South Atlantic Anomaly region. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T22:07:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b36da28d7990418fb4e37031aeb8251e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2115-7251 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T22:07:47Z |
| publishDate | 2018-01-01 |
| publisher | EDP Sciences |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Space Weather and Space Climate |
| spelling | doaj.art-b36da28d7990418fb4e37031aeb8251e2022-12-22T03:14:53ZengEDP SciencesJournal of Space Weather and Space Climate2115-72512018-01-018A0110.1051/swsc/2017041swsc170039The detection of ultra-relativistic electrons in low Earth orbitKatsiyannis Athanassios C.Dominique MariePierrard VivianeRosson Graciela LopezKeyser Johan DeBerghmans DavidKruglanski MichelDammasch Ingolf E.Donder Erwin DeAims. To better understand the radiation environment in low Earth orbit (LEO), the analysis of in-situ observations of a variety of particles, at different atmospheric heights, and in a wide range of energies, is needed. Methods. We present an analysis of energetic particles, indirectly detected by the large yield radiometer (LYRA) instrument on board ESA's project for on-board autonomy 2 (PROBA2) satellite as background signal. Combining energetic particle telescope (EPT) observations with LYRA data for an overlapping period of time, we identified these particles as electrons with an energy range of 2 to 8 MeV. Results. The observed events are strongly correlated to geo-magnetic activity and appear even during modest disturbances. They are also well confined geographically within the L = 4–6 McIlwain zone, which makes it possible to identify their source. Conclusions. Although highly energetic particles are commonly perturbing data acquisition of space instruments, we show in this work that ultra-relativistic electrons with energies in the range of 2–8 MeV are detected only at high latitudes, while not present in the South Atlantic Anomaly region.https://doi.org/10.1051/swsc/2017041ionosphereultra-relativistic electronslow Earth orbitgeostatic orbitLYRAPROBA2VLF/ELF wavesECH wavesEMIC wavesmicroburstsmonoenergetic electrons |
| spellingShingle | Katsiyannis Athanassios C. Dominique Marie Pierrard Viviane Rosson Graciela Lopez Keyser Johan De Berghmans David Kruglanski Michel Dammasch Ingolf E. Donder Erwin De The detection of ultra-relativistic electrons in low Earth orbit Journal of Space Weather and Space Climate ionosphere ultra-relativistic electrons low Earth orbit geostatic orbit LYRA PROBA2 VLF/ELF waves ECH waves EMIC waves microbursts monoenergetic electrons |
| title | The detection of ultra-relativistic electrons in low Earth orbit |
| title_full | The detection of ultra-relativistic electrons in low Earth orbit |
| title_fullStr | The detection of ultra-relativistic electrons in low Earth orbit |
| title_full_unstemmed | The detection of ultra-relativistic electrons in low Earth orbit |
| title_short | The detection of ultra-relativistic electrons in low Earth orbit |
| title_sort | detection of ultra relativistic electrons in low earth orbit |
| topic | ionosphere ultra-relativistic electrons low Earth orbit geostatic orbit LYRA PROBA2 VLF/ELF waves ECH waves EMIC waves microbursts monoenergetic electrons |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1051/swsc/2017041 |
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