Radiation Safe Zone Migrates With Solar Cycle |
Radiation Safe Zone Migrates With Solar Cycle |
Feb 26 2006, 09:46 PM
Post
#1
|
|
Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1636 Joined: 9-May 05 From: Lima, Peru Member No.: 385 |
NASA researchers have found that a zone in the radiation belts surrounding Earth - which can offer reduced radiation exposure to spacecraft - moves to higher or lower altitudes and latitudes depending on the level of solar activity. "This new research brings us closer to understanding how a section of the radiation belt disappears," said lead researcher Shing Fung.
The Van Allen Belts, which were discovered by early satellite studies in the 1960s, resemble a pair of donuts around Earth, one inside the other with Earth in the hole of the innermost donut. The safe zone, called the slot region, would appear as a gap between the inner and outer donut. The maximum solar activity, the safe zone is raised due to the increased solar ultraviolet radiation heats Earth's upper atmosphere, called the ionosphere, causing it to expand. This increases the density of the plasma trapped in Earth's magnetic field. More details, http://www.space-travel.com/reports/Radiat...olar_Cycle.html Rodolfo |
|
|
Lo-Fi Version | Time is now: 26th April 2024 - 08:11 PM |
RULES AND GUIDELINES Please read the Forum Rules and Guidelines before posting. IMAGE COPYRIGHT |
OPINIONS AND MODERATION Opinions expressed on UnmannedSpaceflight.com are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of UnmannedSpaceflight.com or The Planetary Society. The all-volunteer UnmannedSpaceflight.com moderation team is wholly independent of The Planetary Society. The Planetary Society has no influence over decisions made by the UnmannedSpaceflight.com moderators. |
SUPPORT THE FORUM Unmannedspaceflight.com is funded by the Planetary Society. Please consider supporting our work and many other projects by donating to the Society or becoming a member. |