Study Provides Understanding About 'Killer Electrons' In Space, Could Develop Methods To Protect Satellites

A study about radiation belts including "killer electrons" could resolve and give answers to some essential questions about space environment. This would also lead to the development of methods for protecting telecommunication and navigation satellites.

The research was published in the journal Nature Communications on September 28. It was led by international researchers from UCLA.

According to NASA, "killer electrons" are the electrons trapped in Earth's outer radiation belt that can destroy or "kill" the satellites. These type of electrons are blamed for many spacecraft failures. Those satellites that have flown into the Van Allen radiation belts have established their existence and gauged them. The Van Allen radiation Belts referred to an inner ring of high-energy electrons and positive ions and an outer ring of high-energy electrons which surround the planet Earth.

Yuri Shprits, one of the researchers of the study and a research geophysicist on Earth, Planetary and Space Sciences in the UCLA said that "killer electrons," also referred to as ultra-relativistic, are hazardous and can penetrate the most protected valuable satellites in space. Shprits added that while it is possible to protect the satellites from relativistic particles, defending from ultra-relativistic particles is practically impossible.

Scientists have been comprehending these particles since Van Allen discovered space radiation. Observations are made to fully understand the loss of electrons from the Van Allen radiation belts. There are disputes that occur about understanding these particles, according to Phys.Org.

In 2013, the dispute over this matter was resolved when the researchers gauged the particle's distributions and direction using detectors in the Van Allen belts. They discovered that the most intense relativistic and ultra-relativistic electrons were found in various locations in the belt. The "killer electrons" or the ultra-relativistic particles were located deep inside the magnetosphere. These particles were not shaken by the electron loss to the magnetopause, which is the boundary between the solar wind and the Earth's magnetic field.

The researchers also obtained the detailed measurements. These include velocity direction, particle speed and radial distributions. These indicated that the waves were scattering particles into the atmosphere but only affected the "killer electrons." And not the relativistic particles.

Shprits said that their findings resolve a fundamental scientific question about space environment and may aid develop methods of cleaning up the radiation belts from harmful radiation and make the environment surrounding the Earth-friendlier for satellites. The study could also provide scientists worldwide with measurements of radiation in space and advanced sciences in the future.