Artificial perturbations of the radiation belts

A review is given of the properties of the radiation belts which have been produced by high-altitude nuclear detonations. The low-yield, Argus devices, 1, 2, and 3, and the Soviet test of 1 November 1962 injected intense electron fluxes in narrow L-shell intervals, with peaks at L = 1.72, 2.11, 2.17, and 1.77, respectively. The energy spectra of the electrons were indistinguishable from the equilibrium fission beta spectrum, and the fluxes initially decayed at rates approximately proportional to (time) sup -1.1. The high-yield devices, Starfish and the Soviet tests of 22 October and 28 October 1962, injected electrons over wide ranges. At L values near the lower boundary, the electron spectra appeared to be softer at the higher L values.