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@ GODGIFT.
2025-02-25 19:32:40
🚨 Earth is now surrounded by a radiation belt that has never been observed before!
In May 2024, an intense solar storm had far-reaching effects on Earth, even reaching the bottom of the ocean. As scientists now reveal, the torrent of flare activity on the Sun caused our planet to be girded by two new, temporary radiation belts of high-energy particles, trapped by Earth's magnetic field. This phenomenon has been observed before following powerful geomagnetic storms, but the solar storm of May 2024 delivered something entirely new: energetic protons in one of the new belts.
These newly detected radiation belts were sandwiched between Earth's two permanent Van Allen radiation belts. One of the new belts predominantly comprised electrons, consistent with previous observations, while the other contained energetic protons, which had never been seen before. According to astronomer David Sibeck, these high-energy electrons and protons found their way into Earth's inner magnetic environment, with some potentially remaining there for a very long time.
The belts remained intact for a much longer duration than previously observed temporary radiation belts, lasting three months compared to the usual weeks. While subsequent solar storms in June and August 2024 diminished the density of the belts, a small amount of particles remains in orbit. Scientists estimate that the proton belt may persist for over a year, and ongoing measurements will help determine its longevity and decay rate.
This information is crucial because particles in Earth's orbit pose a hazard to satellites. Knowing the particle density and the effects of solar storms can aid engineers in designing mitigation strategies to protect our technology. However, the hazard posed by these new radiation belts is currently unquantified, requiring future studies to determine the potential risks they and similar belts may present.
📃 RESEARCH PAPER:
Xinlin Li et al, “A New Electron and Proton Radiation Belt Identified by CIRBE/REPTile-2 Measurements After the Magnetic Super Storm of 10 May 2024”, Journal of Geophysical Research (2025) https://image.nostr.build/abe5d2f1bf097cad034e086a1151fe2e673e691b95a98b861a749a9de878dd35.jpg