Outer Zone Electrons

Abstract

Satellites in low altitude, high inclination orbits have been used to study nearearth effects of perturbations occurring well out in the magnetosphere by observing the spatial and temporal behavior of energetic electrons. Studies concerned with ≥40 keV electrons include: the initial Observation of electrons precipitated into the atmosphere from altitudes >1000 km (O’BRIEN, 1962); the initial Observation of a diurnal Variation in the trapped electron population(O’BRIEN, 1963); further, more detailed studies of trapped and precipitated electrons and their diurnal variations (O’BRIEN, 1964; O’BRIEN and TAYLOR, 1964; MCDIARMID and BURROWS, 1964 a and b; FRANK etal, 1964; ARMSTRONG, 1965); and the recent Observation of the existence of “spikes” of 40 keV electrons at latitudes above the boundary of the outer zone and preferentially during local night (MCDIARMID and BURROWS, 1965). A recent study at 10 keV has shown that intense fluxes of these lower energy electrons occur predominantly at local night and high latitudes (FRITZ and GURNETT, 1965).