System and method for reducing trapped energetic proton flux at low earth orbits

摘要

A system and method for reducing energetic proton flux trapped in the inner radiation belt by injecting Ultra Low Frequency (ULF) electromagnetic waves is disclosed. The ULF electromagnetic waves is generated by space or ground based transmitters and the frequency range is selected such that the injected waves are in gyrofrequency resonance with trapped 10 to 100 Mev protons. Pitch angle scattering of the trapped protons in gyro-resonance with the injected waves increases their precipitation rate by forcing their orbits into pitch angles inside the atmospheric loss-cone where they are lost by intaracting with the dense neutral atmosphere at altitudes below 100 km. The reduction of energetic proton flux trapped in the inner radiation belt allows use of commercial electronics with submicron feature size on Low Earth Orbit satellites and microsatellites without the operational constraints imposed by the presence of energetic proton fluxes trapped at the inner radiation belts.