Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 13, 2025

Dependence of Laser-induced Breakdown Spectroscopy Results on Pulse Energies and Timing Parameters Using Soil Simulants
Published on: September 23, 2013
Empirically Estimated Electron Lifetimes in the Earth's Radiation Belts: Comparison With Theory
S G Claudepierre1,2, Q Ma2,3, J Bortnik2
1Space Sciences Department The Aerospace Corporation El Segundo CA USA.
Abstract:
We compute quasilinear diffusion rates due to pitch angle scattering by various mechanisms in the Earth's electron radiation belts. The calculated theoretical lifetimes are compared with observed decay rates, and we find excellent qualitative agreement between the two. The overall structure of the observed lifetime profiles as a function of energy and is largely due to plasmaspheric hiss and Coulomb scattering. The results also reveal a local minimum in lifetimes in the inner zone at lower energy ( 50 keV), attributed to enhanced scattering via ground-based very low frequency transmitters, and a reduction in lifetimes at higher and energy ( 1 MeV), attributed to enhanced electromagnetic ion cyclotron wave scattering. In addition, we find significant quantitative disagreement at , where the theoretical lifetimes are typically a factor of 10 larger than the observed, pointing to an additional loss process that is missing from current models. We discuss potential factors that could contribute to this disagreement.
Related Concept Videos
Radioactive Decay and Radiometric Dating
Radiation: Applications
The average...
The Bohr Model
Momentum And Radiation Pressure
Thomson's e/m Experiment
A particle with charge q, speed v, and mass m enters an area from the top, where the magnetic and electric fields are perpendicular both to the particle's motion and to one another. The magnetic...
Absorption of Radiation

