Preliminary analysis of the fluxes and spectrums of trapped particles after the nuclear test of July 9, 1962

Abstract

Particle detectors have been flown on a low-altitude, polar satellite to measure the fluxes and energy spectrums of protons and electrons. In the region of the South Atlantic magnetic anomaly, electrons were observed with a fission-like spectrum above 2 Mev. Comparison on B, L plots of the electron fluxes with those obtained one week after the explosion indicates that the electron lifetime is ≳20 days. The lifetime and the observed deficiency of fission electrons below 2 Mev are consistent with the loss mechanism of atmospheric interaction. Near L = 4.5 and B = 0.4 gauss, only natural electrons were observed. The proton flux and spectral measurements yield no evidence that protons were either injected into or removed from the radiation belt by the high-altitude explosion.