Analysis of the observation of particle detector inside ‘CBERS-1’ satellite under solar quiet conditions

Abstract

Based on the knowledge and related theory of earth’s radiation belt, the data of energetic particles observed by detectors onboard ‘CBERS-1’ satellite at a solar synchronous orbit were analyzed. It is proved that the observational results are in agreement with the theoretical description of the radiation belt structures. Analysis of more than 3 years’ data showed clearly that under quiet solar conditions, at a height of about 800 km the energetic particles were mainly located in three regions: northern auroral belt (40°–80°), southern auroral belt (−40°–−80°) and South Atlantic Geomagnetic Anomaly Region (SAA). Actually, this is for the global distribution, at each longitude the latitudinal coverage is much narrower and particles are along the geomagnetic latitude of about ±60°. The species of particles in different regions and their counting rates are different. In SAA, usually both electrons and protons are observed, which should come from inner radiation belt; in polar regions only energetic electrons are observed under the quiet condition, which belongs to the outer radiation belt. The distribution of outer radiation electrons is asymmetrical for longitudes as well as northern and southern polar regions. These asymmetries can be explained with the reflecting altitudes of the mirror points of charged particles at the same L shell.