Abstract:

The outer radiation belt is very dynamic, both spatially and temporally. One of the keys to understanding this dynamic variability is to understand the loss processes for radiation belt electrons. Local precipitation loss due to pitch angle scattering by magnetospheric waves is our focus. We aim to establish a predictable relationship between low-Earth-orbit and high-altitude orbit data.

We use coordinated, conjuncted electron measurements from the Van Allen Probes, or Radiation Belt Storm Probes (RBSP), and the Polar Operational Environmental Satellites (POES), as inputs for a network of neural networks. Low-Earth-orbit (LEO) missions, like POES, continue to provide continuous and more accessible monitoring of the radiation belts. However, there is an insufficient number of satellites to provide a global radiation environment map, especially at LEO, and current modeling approaches are not yet robust enough. We demonstrate the ability to nowcast and reconstruct equatorial electron flux measurements from LEO without the need for an in-situ equatorial satellite. Our work has the potential to be used as a basis of future real-time radiation-belt monitoring LEO constellations.