HR: 17:35h
AN: SH52B-07    [PDF]
TI: Statistical Study of Slot Region Protons
AU: * Huston, S L
EM: Stuart.L.Huston@saic.com
AF: Science Applications International Corp., 3030 Old Ranch Parkway, Seal Beach, CA 90740 United States
AB: Using data from NOAA's Polar Orbiting Environmental Satellites (POES), we have performed a statistical study of $>$ 36 MeV protons in the "slot" region for 1.5 $<$ L $<$ 3; this study includes data from 1978 onward. We have been most concerned with the formation and decay of transient proton belts similar to the one which formed in March 1991. Between 1978 and 1993, we observed a number of events at L=2.5 in which the $>$ 36 MeV proton flux was greater than "nominal" levels. In all, the flux at L=2.5 was above "nominal" about 27% of the time. Although the March 1991 event was the only one observed in this period for L $<$ 2, for 2.5 $<$ L $<$ 2.75, a number of events were observed with magnitudes similar to the March 1991 event. We discuss these events, as well as a number of events where long-term decreases in the flux were observed.
DE: 2720 Energetic particles, trapped
DE: 2730 Magnetosphere--inner
SC: SPA - Solar and Heliospheric Physics [SH]
MN: 2003 Fall Meeting