Earth's Radiation Belt Pattern Looks Like Zebra Stripes

Geo Beats 2014-03-24

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According to a recent study by scientists at NASA and The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, the Earth's inner Van Allen belt has a pattern that resembles zebra stripes, which is caused by Earth’s slow tilted planetary rotation creating a weak oscillating electric field that distorts the electrons.

The two radiation belts above the atmosphere of Earth, known as the Van Allen belts, are made up of high energy protons and electrons coming from the sun that get trapped in the magnetic field of our planet.

According to a recent study by scientists at NASA and The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, the inner Van Allen belt has a pattern that resembles zebra stripes, which is caused by Earth’s slow tilted planetary rotation creating a weak oscillating electric field that distorts the electrons.

NASA launched their twin Van Allen Probe satellites to learn more about these cosmic forces around Earth, and how they work with the radiation emitted from the sun and the revolution of our planet.

A statement from NASA reads: “During active times, radiation levels can dramatically increase, which can create hazardous space weather conditions that harm orbiting spacecraft and endanger humans in space. It is the goal of the Van Allen Probes mission to understand how and why radiation levels in the belts change with time.”

The Van Allen belts are about 500 miles above the surface of Earth and extend for around 8 thousand miles out in space.

There is an animated video produced by NASA that you can watch of how the zebra stripe pattern forms.

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