Premium
A comment on the effects of man‐made VLF waves on the radiation belts
Author(s) -
Lyons L. R.,
Williams D. J.
Publication year - 1978
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/gl005i002p00116
Subject(s) - plasmasphere , van allen radiation belt , hiss , physics , electron , radiation , geophysics , van allen probes , diffusion , atmosphere (unit) , computational physics , astrophysics , atmospheric sciences , magnetosphere , meteorology , plasma , optics , nuclear physics , thermodynamics
It has recently been suggested that man‐made VLF waves may have a significant effect on the overall structure of trapped energetic electrons within the plasmasphere, including the slot region. While these suggestions are intriguing and should be studied further, we conclude on the basis of previously published results that the overall structure of energetic trapped electrons within the plasmasphere is determined by radial diffusion and interactions with plasmaspheric hiss and the atmosphere. Man‐made radiation could possibly cause local perturbations at a specific point in space and time; however, we find no evidence at this time for effects that would significantly alter the overall structure of the radiation belts.