INITIAL OBSERVATIONS OF GEOMAGNETICALLY TRAPPED PROTONS AND ALPHA PARTICLES WITH OGO-4.
Abstract
The University of Iowa detector package on board the OGO-4 satellite, which was launched into a near polar orbit on 28 July 1967, includes two totally depleted solid state detectors with thickness of 34 and 7.2 microns designed to measure protons and alpha particles, respectively. Results, based on data obtained on 8 and 27 August 1967, show the following: The j sub alpha/j sub p ratio is 0.0007 and 0.0002 for particles of E > = 0.35 and 0.46 MeV/nucleon, respectively. The proton energy spectrum is well represented by a simple exponential spectrum. Comparison of the data with various predictions of models which consider the solar wind as source of trapped particles shows that there are serious discrepancies between theory and observations, and that possible differential loss mechanisms for protons and alpha particles must be examined in detail.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 1968
- Accession Number
- AD0681006
Entities
People
- S. M. Krimigis
- T. A. Fritz
Organizations
- University of Iowa