Chronology of generation, variation, and disappearance of a second proton belt as determined by effects in electronic devices

Author

Stassinopoulos, E.G. ; Brucker, G.J. ; Stauffer, C.A. ; Meulenberg, A.

Author_Institution

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA

Volume

42

Issue

6

fYear

1995

fDate

12/1/1995 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

2229

Lastpage

2235

Abstract

The paper presents an analysis of SEU data obtained from memory devices on the CRRES (Combined Release and Radiation Effects Satellite) spacecraft. It provides a dynamic picture of the newly identified second peak of the trapped proton belt in the equatorial region between approximately 2.0-2.8 Earth radii. In previous work, it was stated that injection of solar flare protons from the major flare of March 1991 generated this secondary belt which appears to have survived at least up to the demise of CRRES (October 12, 1992). The results of the present study show that the radiation responsible for the observed effects existed intermittently in that region of space from the very beginning of the mission, that is July 27, 1990, during a period when there was no significant high energy flare activity (about 4.5 months), and then disappeared for three months until it reappeared again with the March 1991 flare

Keywords

artificial satellites; integrated memory circuits; magnetosphere; radiation belts; 2.0 to 2.8 Earthradii; AD 1990 07 27 to 1991 10 12; CRRES; Combined Release and Radiation Effects Satellite; disappearance; electronic devices; equatorial region; generation; memory devices; proton belt; solar flare protons; trapped proton belt; variation; Aerospace electronics; Belts; Data analysis; Energy measurement; Laboratories; Protons; Random access memory; Single event upset; Solar power generation; Space vehicles;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Nuclear Science, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9499

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/23.489419

Filename

489419