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Quantifying Electron Precipitation In The Van Allen Radiation Belts, Timothy Raeder
Quantifying Electron Precipitation In The Van Allen Radiation Belts, Timothy Raeder
Honors Theses and Capstones
The spatial and temporal distribution of high energy electron precipitation from the Van Allen radiation belts is not currently well-understood. The FIREBIRD-II mission (2015-present) and the Van Allen Probes (2012-2019) provide a unique opportunity to examine the behaviors and drivers of high energy electron precipitation. This study quantifies electron precipitation observed by FIREBIRD-II as a function of radial distance (L-shell), magnetic local time (MLT), hemisphere, and geomagnetic indices (Kp). Electron precipitation was observed to peak at L-shell 4.5-5. Regions of elevated electron precipitation were identified at L-shell 4-6 at dawn (MLT 6-9) and dusk (MLT 15-21). Hemisphere filtering indicated very …