Active Control of Nuclear-Enhanced Radiation Belts
Abstract
A high-altitude nuclear detonation by a hostile power could flood the Earth's radiation belts with MeV "killer" electrons, which would remain trapped by the earth's geomagnetic field for years. This orders-of-magnitude enhancement of the normal radiation belts would disable low-Earth-orbit satellites within weeks, thereby degrading military capabilities and severely impacting the economy. Development of an effective countermeasure is a national priority. NRL recognized the importance of this threat early on and initiated a comprehensive program in FY04 that includes theory, computer simulation, and laboratory experiments. We are developing quantitative physics models that are needed as a precursor to space-based tests. The ultimate objective is to avoid catastrophic radiation damage to space assets by restoring the radiation belt to its natural state within a week. There is every reason to believe that the killer nuclear-generated electrons could be precipitated if it were possible to introduce a sufficiently energetic spectrum of waves with the right wavelength and frequency. Mainline remediation efforts emphasize the use of whistler waves transmitted from a space-based antenna and amplified by the free energy available within the radiation belt. A technical panel in 2001 concluded that remediation could be achieved within a week using this method. A radically different approach for rapid remediation is based on massive injection of energy over a short duration. If a large quantity of neutral vapor, such as lithium, is released from a satellite moving in the equatorial plane, the vapor is photoionized over a period of about an hour. The resulting ions spin up into a highly unstable "ring" distribution, which emits large amplitude electromagnetic waves in the desired frequency and wavelength range. These waves can precipitate the killer electrons within hours, as opposed to a week.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2006
- Accession Number
- ADA518538
Entities
People
- A. V. Streltsov
- G. Ganguli
- M. Lampe
- W. E. Amatucci
Organizations
- United States Naval Research Laboratory