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Long term modulation of low altitude proton radiation belt by the Earth's atmosphere
Author(s) -
Miyoshi Yoshizumi,
Morioka Akira,
Misawa Hiroaki
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/1999gl003721
Subject(s) - altitude (triangle) , atmosphere (unit) , atmospheric sciences , earth's magnetic field , ionosphere , proton , equator , environmental science , van allen radiation belt , atmosphere of earth , physics , flux (metallurgy) , geophysics , meteorology , latitude , magnetosphere , nuclear physics , materials science , magnetic field , astronomy , geometry , mathematics , plasma , quantum mechanics , metallurgy
To evaluate the atmospheric effect on low altitude proton variation, we calculated the long‐term variation of the lifetimes of low altitude protons which mirror at the geomagnetic equator using empirical models of the atmosphere, the ionosphere, and the geomagnetic field. The calculated results showed that the proton lifetime variation is anti‐correlated with the F10.7 solar cycle. The comparison between the estimated and the observed proton fluxes during 20 years showed good agreement at the altitude of the lower drift shell. Our results showed positively that solar cycle variations of the upper atmosphere and the ionosphere had a significant influence on the changes of the low altitude energetic proton flux.