Abstract
Using the Fokker-Planck approach we derive a diffusion equation for the distribution of the mirror points of geomagnetically trapped electrons for an exponential atmosphere, and an analytic solution is obtained. From the nature of the equation it is seen that the mirror points diffuse in a manner similar to heat flow in a nonuniform medium, the net flux being determined by the gradients in the distribution function. The concept of lowering mirror points, which has been extensively used for this type of calculation, is shown to be incorrect. The distribution of mirror points is found for the case of an initial distribution that is a delta function in mirror-point altitude by evaluatng the analytic solution to the equation for an exponential atmosphere. The result is compared with that obtained by a numerical integration of the diffusion equation, derived in an earlier paper, which is not restricted to the case of an exponential atmosphere. Diffusion in the region of magnetic anomalies is discussed.
Published Version
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