Numerical solution of the heavy ion radial diffusion problem in the earth's magnetosphere

Abstract

The results of the numerical solution of the Fokker-Planck equation, describing radial diffusion of protons and heavy ions in the Earth's magnetosphere, are presented. Radial transport driven by fluctuations of the geomagnetic or the electric field, or a combination of both, was included in the solution. Coulomb interaction and charge exchange processes were also taken into account. Resulting energy and radial dependencies of ion fluxes and pitch-angle distributions for protons and various charge states of heavy ions are discussed.