Neutron Decay Electron Injection into the Magnetosphere.
Abstract
A model to determine magnetospheric electron fluxes from bomb neutron decay is presented. The source of electrons was determined from a neutron decay model dependent on a 37 group neutron spectrum of a nuclear detonation. Monte-Carlo simulation of the decay process determined the electron energy and angular spectra as a function of neutron energy. The Air Force Weapons Laboratory's PROMPT code generates neutron spectra from a nuclear detonation at an observer. Using this neutron spectrum and the electron energy and angular distributions from neutron decay theory, an algorithm was developed to calculate the electron flux. An example of a 1 kt burst at 20 km shows that fluxes above normal background can be observed as far away as 400 km. Higher bursts or bursts of larger magnitude will produce higher fluxes at this distance. It is thus concluded that neutron decay alone can generate significant numbers of energetic electrons in the magnetosphere. Their effect may prove to be of tactical significance in medium to high altitude burst scenarios where fission debris is a less significant source of electrons. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 1982
- Accession Number
- ADA115512
Entities
People
- Brian L. Hanson
Organizations
- Air Force Institute of Technology