Massive Particle Accelerator Discovered in Van Allen Radiation Belts
Posted on July 28, 2013
Scientists have discovered a massive particle accelerator in the heart of the Van Allen radiation belts. New data from NASA's Van Allen Probes indicates the acceleration energy is in the belts themselves. The twin probes were sent straight through the intense area of space to gather data about the belts. Scientists say local bumps of energy kick particles inside the belts to ever-faster speed.
Geoff Reeves, lead author on the paper and a radiation belt scientist at Los Alamos National Laboratory in Los Alamos, N.M., said in a statement, "Until the 1990s, we thought the Van Allen belts were pretty well-behaved and changed slowly. With more and more measurements, however, we realized how quickly and unpredictably the radiation belts change. They are basically never in equilibrium, but in a constant state of change."
Astronomy reports that the data from the probes helped determined that a local energy source and not radial acceleration was responsible for accelerating particles to incredible speeds. Astronomy says the data confirmed the local acceleration theory, which "proposes the particles gain energy from a local energy source, similar to the way warm ocean water can fuel a hurricane above it."
Scientists believe these new results will lead to better predictions of the complex chain of events that intensify the radiation belts to levels that can disable satellites. The research was published here in the journal, Science.