The Van Allen Probes (formerly Radiation Belt Storm Probes - RBSP) Explore the Earth's Radiation Belts
- Visualizations by:
- Tom Bridgman
- View full credits
In this region, many of the magnetic field lines intersect the surface of the Earth in the north and south. This means that lower energy ions and electrons, some 'boiled off' the Earth's ionosphere by solar ultraviolet radiation, can be trapped along these field lines. The charged particles spend their time bouncing between the 'mirror points' in the Earth's magnetic field. This trapped population forms the radiation belts around the Earth. The radiation created by this charged particle population can be hazardous to satellites and astronauts so it is important to understand their characteristics.
Credits
Please give credit for this item to:
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Scientific Visualization Studio
Animator
- Tom Bridgman (GST) [Lead]
Scientists
- David G. Sibeck (NASA/GSFC)
- Shrikanth G. Kanekal (NASA/GSFC)
Producers
- Genna Duberstein (ADNET)
- Scott Wiessinger (KBRwyle)
Missions
This visualization is related to the following missions:Series
This visualization can be found in the following series:Datasets used in this visualization
Solar Anomalous and Magnetospheric Particle Explorer (SAMPEX) (Collected with the HILT sensor)
Dataset can be found at: http://sunland.gsfc.nasa.gov/smex/sampex/
See more visualizations using this data setSSCweb ephemerides (A.K.A. SSCweb)
Satellite ephemerides
Dataset can be found at: http://sscweb.gsfc.nasa.gov
See more visualizations using this data setNote: While we identify the data sets used in these visualizations, we do not store any further details nor the data sets themselves on our site.
Related pages
The Radiation Belts as seen by SAMPEX
Oct. 30, 2012, 8 p.m.
Read moreThis is a simulation of the Earth s radiation belts before, during and after the Halloween solar storms of 2003. High-resolution still of the radiation belt. Still of radiation belt showing double belt structure. Another view of double-belt structure.
Built To Last
Sept. 10, 2012, 8 p.m.
Read moreTwo spacecraft have been launched directly into swaths of radiation where most fear to fly. The highly elliptical orbit paths will take the spacecraft as close as 335 miles above Earth to as far as 20,000 miles away from the surface. The two spacecraft were stacked prior to their launch on a single Atlas V 401 rocket. Sealed inside the payload fairing, the spacecraft were ready for their spot atop the rocket. The Atlas V 401 lifted off before dawn on Aug. 30, 2012 from Florida s rendition shows the twin spacecraft, attached to the Centaur stage of the rocket, just before deployment into orbit. For More InformationSee [NASA.gov](http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2012/aug/HQ_12-289_RBSP_Launches.html#.UvAkTVP1v1s)
Earth's Radiation Belts (side view)
May 7, 2012, 8 p.m.
Read moreThis is a simulation of the Earth s radiation belt and its variation in time.
Earth's Radiation Belts (cross-section)
April 30, 2012, 8 p.m.
Read moreThis is a simulation of the Earth s radiation belts.
The Van Allen Probes (formerly RBSP for Radiation Belt Storm Probes) in Earth Orbit
April 18, 2012, 8 p.m.
Read moreA basic visualization illustrating the orbit of RBSP around the Earth. This pair of probes will orbit the Earth between about 1.5 and 6 Earth radii to cover the region of the geomagnetically trapped particle radiation. Visualization of the two RBSP probes in Earth orbit.