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A BATSE investigation of radiation belt electrons precipitated by VLF wavesThe Compton Observatory commonly encounters fluxes of energetic electrons which have been scattered from the inner radiation belt to the path of the satellite by resonant interactions with VLF waves from powerful man-made transmitters. The present investigation was motivated by the fact that in the Fall of 1993, the Gamma Ray Observatory was boosted from a 650 km altitude circular orbit to a 750 km altitude circular orbit. This was an opportunity, for the first time, to make observations at two different altitudes using the same instrument. We have examined DISCLA data from the Burst & Transient Source Experiment (BATSE) experiment from 1 Sep. 1993 to 29 Jan. 1994. During the period of study we identified 48 instances of the satellite encountering a cloud of energetic electrons which had been scattered by VLF transmitters. We find that boosting the altitude of the circular orbit from 650 km to 750 km increased the intensity of cyclotron resonance scattered electrons by a factor of two. To search for long term changes in the cyclotron resonance precipitation, we have compared the approx. 750 km altitude data from 106 days at the end of 1993 with data at the same altitudes and time of year in 1991. The cyclotron resonance events in 1991 were three times more frequent and 25% of those cases were more intense than any seen in the 1993 data. We attribute this difference to increased level of geomagnetic activity in 1991 near the Solar Maximum.
Document ID
19960002274
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Contractor Report (CR)
Authors
Datlowe, Dayton W. (Lockheed Missiles and Space Co. Palo Alto, CA, United States)
Date Acquired
September 6, 2013
Publication Date
May 25, 1995
Subject Category
Geophysics
Report/Patent Number
NAS 1.26:189394
LMSC-F254281-REV
NASA-CR-189394
Accession Number
96N12282
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAS5-32608
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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