ENERGY SPECTRUM OF ELECTRONS TRAPPED IN THE GEOMAGNETIC FIELD

Abstract

A Fokker-Planck equation for the distribution function of electrons trapped in a magnetic field in the presence of a scattering atmosphere is applied to the Van Allen electron belt. Solutions are obtained for the equilibrium flux resulting from an electron source of arbitrary energy for the cases where (a) loss of energy by collisions is neglected and (b) loss by diffusion out of the trapping region is neglected; and an approximate solution is obtained for the actual case where both processes are considered. The assumption that the electron source is supplied by decaying neutrons leads to an equilibrium electron flux whose energy dependence is qualitatively different from the observed spectrum. (Author)

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 01, 1961
Accession Number
AD0256652

Entities

People

  • Martin Walt
  • William M. Macdonald

Organizations

  • University of Maryland

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Atmospheres
  • Collisions
  • Diffusion
  • Distribution Functions
  • Electron Flux
  • Electrons
  • Equations
  • Fokker Planck Equations
  • Lepidoptera
  • Magnetic Fields
  • Mathematics
  • Scattering
  • Spectra

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Plasma Physics / Magnetohydrodynamics
  • Solar Physics

Technology Areas

  • Microelectronics