CALET has succeeded in observing electron precipitation
Last Updated: July 6, 2016
National Institute of Polar Research (NIPR)
Waseda University
JAXA
The CALorimetric Electron Telescope (CALET) onboard the Japanese Experiment Module “Kibo” of the International Space Station (ISS) since 2015 has succeeded in observing a tremendous shower of electrons*1(called “Relativistic Electron Precipitation: REP”) for a few minutes as the ISS passed through a high geomagnetic latitude*2 area, indicating that REP had also occurred around the ISS. From the data obtained, REP is considered to be electrons precipitated from the Van Allen radiation belts*3 that were affected by electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves.
As REP can damage satellite electronics and be a cause of ozone destruction in the middle atmosphere, further study may contribute to the prediction of space weather and atmospheric chemistry.
The result of the study was published online on Geophysical Research Letters dated May 7, 2016.
Relativistic electron precipitation at the International Space Station: Space weather monitoring by Calorimetric Electron Telescope
URL: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/2016GL068930/full
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