Radiation Belts and Plasmapause Fluctuate Under Solar Storm

  • Released Wednesday, December 15th, 2004
  • Updated Wednesday, May 3rd, 2023 at 1:56PM
  • ID: 3049

In this visualization, we see the interaction of the radiation belts (violet/white), the plasmapause (green surface) and magnetopause (gray surface).

NOTE: This visualization shows the Earth's magnetic dipole field lines rotating rigidly with the Earth. Technically, this is inaccurate. Ions and electrons in the lower atmosphere can create currents which can make these lines 'drag' with Earth's rotation, but this will occur mostly near the Earth and not higher up. More details on this process can be found in the FAQ at the The Exploration of the Earth's Magnetosphere web site, Does the Earth's magnetic field rotate?.

A movie showing the radiation belts movement Earthward as the plasmasphere is depleted.

As the particle events saturate the SAMPEX detectors, the radiation belt measurements develop a high level of noise that generates a blown-out view in this model of the belts. The plasmasphere is still in its steady configuration.

As the particle events saturate the SAMPEX detectors, the radiation belt measurements develop a high level of noise that generates a blown-out view in this model of the belts. The plasmasphere is still in its steady configuration.

As particle-induced electric fields increase, the low-energy electrons of the plasmasphere are convected towards the magnetopause, depleting the region near the Earth and enabling the hotter particles from the radiation belts to move closer to the Earth.

As particle-induced electric fields increase, the low-energy electrons of the plasmasphere are convected towards the magnetopause, depleting the region near the Earth and enabling the hotter particles from the radiation belts to move closer to the Earth.

The radiation belts remain close to the Earth.

The radiation belts remain close to the Earth.

Here we see a day with THREE radiation belts!

Here we see a day with THREE radiation belts!

Credits

Please give credit for this item to:
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Scientific Visualization Studio

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