"A Van Allen radiation belt is a zone of energetic charged particles, most of which originate from the solar wind, that are captured by and held around a planet by that planet's magnetosphere."
Regions of high-energy particles trapped in Earth's magnetic field, which can pose a hazard to satellites and space vehicles.
Earth's magnetic field: The magnetic field that surrounds and protects the Earth from the solar wind is an important factor in understanding the radiation belts.
Solar wind: A stream of high-energy charged particles emitted by the sun.
Magnetosphere: The region of space around Earth that is dominated by the Earth's magnetic field.
Van Allen radiation belts: Two doughnut-shaped regions of high-energy charged particles trapped in the Earth's magnetosphere.
Electromagnetic radiation: The energy that travels through space in the form of waves, including radio waves, microwaves, infrared radiation, visible light, ultraviolet radiation, X-rays, and gamma rays.
Solar flares: Explosions on the surface of the sun that release large amounts of energy and particles into space.
Coronal mass ejections: Large releases of plasma and magnetic fields from the sun that can cause disturbances in the Earth's magnetic field.
Space weather: The effects of solar activity on the Earth's environment and technology.
Particle acceleration: The processes by which particles gain energy and become trapped in the Earth's magnetic field.
Plasma physics: The study of ionized gas (plasma) and its interactions with magnetic and electric fields.
Ionospheric physics: The study of the ionized portion of the Earth's upper atmosphere and its interactions with the magnetosphere.
Radiation dosimetry: The measurement and characterization of ionizing radiation levels and their effects on living organisms.
Spacecraft design: The design and construction of spacecraft that can operate in the harsh radiation environment of space.
Van Allen Belts: The Van Allen Belts are the most well-known radiation belts and lie between 600 km and 60,000 km above the Earth's surface. The inner belt contains mostly protons, while the outer belt contains both protons and electrons.
Slot Region: The slot region is a relatively low-radiation region that lies between the two Van Allen belts.
Inner Radiation Belt: The inner radiation belt is a highly radioactive region that contains mostly protons.
Outer Radiation Belt: The outer radiation belt is a highly radioactive region that contains both protons and electrons.
Ring Current: The ring current is a region of elevated particle density that orbits the Earth at altitudes of 5,000-70,000 km.
Magnetopause: The magnetopause is the boundary between the Earth's magnetic field and the solar wind.
Magnetotail: The magnetotail is the region where the solar wind interacts with the Earth's magnetic field and is located on the opposite side of the Earth from the sun.
Plasma Sheet: The plasma sheet is the region between the Earth's magnetosphere and the magnetotail.
Radiation Storms: Radiation storms are bursts of high-energy particles that can cause short-term disruptions to satellites and communications systems.
Solar Flares: Solar flares are eruptions of high-energy particles that can temporarily produce intense radiation in the Earth's atmosphere.
"Earth has two such belts, and sometimes others may be temporarily created."
"The belts are named after James Van Allen, who is credited with their discovery."
"Earth's two main belts extend from an altitude of about 640 to 58,000 km (400 to 36,040 mi) above the surface."
"They trap energetic electrons and protons. Other nuclei, such as alpha particles, are less prevalent."
"Most of the particles that form the belts are thought to come from the solar wind while others arrive as cosmic rays."
"By trapping the solar wind, the magnetic field deflects those energetic particles and protects the atmosphere from destruction."
"The belts endanger satellites, which must have their sensitive components protected with adequate shielding if they spend significant time near that zone."
"Apollo Astronauts going through the Van Allen Belts received a very low and non-harmful dose of radiation."
"In 2013, the Van Allen Probes detected a transient, third radiation belt, which persisted for four weeks."
"...most of which originate from the solar wind..."
"...captured by and held around a planet by that planet's magnetosphere..."
"Earth has two such belts..."
"...and sometimes others may be temporarily created."
"Other nuclei, such as alpha particles, are less prevalent."
"By trapping the solar wind, the magnetic field deflects those energetic particles and protects the atmosphere from destruction."
"...must have their sensitive components protected with adequate shielding if they spend significant time near that zone."
"Apollo Astronauts going through the Van Allen Belts received a very low and non-harmful dose of radiation."
"...which persisted for four weeks."
"The belts are in the inner region of Earth's magnetic field."