NASA's Van Allen Probes Reveal a New (another, third) Radiation Belt Around Earth

I should have been able to find this in GLP search but wasn't able so am making a thread for future reference.


February 28, 2013

NASA's Van Allen Probes Reveal a New Radiation Belt Around Earth
[link to www.nasa.gov (secure)]

WASHINGTON - NASA's Van Allen Probes mission has discovered a previously unknown third radiation belt around Earth, revealing the existence of unexpected structures and processes within these hazardous regions of space.

Previous observations of Earth's Van Allen belts have long documented two distinct regions of trapped radiation surrounding our planet. Particle detection instruments aboard the twin Van Allen Probes, launched Aug. 30, quickly revealed to scientists the existence of this new, transient, third radiation belt.

The belts, named for their discoverer, James Van Allen, are critical regions for modern society, which is dependent on many space-based technologies. The Van Allen belts are affected by solar storms and space weather and can swell dramatically. When this occurs, they can pose dangers to communications and GPS satellites, as well as humans in space.

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