Theoretical Modeling of the Inner Radiation Belt

该项目将使用欧洲核研究组织开发的称为GEANT 4的软件工具包。 GEANT 4软件将用于中子与大气的相互作用。 宇宙射线与大气的相互作用产生了中子。 将确定作为输入宇宙射线能量和成分函数的大气响应。 然后，将响应函数与宇宙射线能谱进行卷积，宇宙射线能谱具有太阳周期依赖性，以获得作为时间函数的中子通量。 质子中子的衰变产生了地球内部辐射带的质子含量。 因此，中子通量可以转换为内带中质子的能量和密度的模型。 模型结果将与AMPEX卫星在最近太阳活动周期中获得的质子数据进行比较。 模型和数据之间的一致性将验证GEANT 4工具包作为进一步建立内辐射带空间气象模型的框架的有效性。

This project will use a software toolkit developed at CERN and referred to as GEANT4. The GEANT4 software will be applied to the interaction of neutrons with the atmosphere. The interaction of cosmic rays with the atmosphere generates albedo neutrons. The atmospheric response as a function of input cosmic ray energy and composition will be determined. The response function will then be convolved with the cosmic ray energy spectrum, which has a solar cycle dependence, to obtain the albedo neutron flux as a function of time. The decay of the albedo neutrons produces the proton content of the Earth's inner radiation belt. The neutron flux can therefore be converted to a model of the energy and density of the protons in the inner belt. The model results will be compared with proton data obtained by the AMPEX satellite over the most recent solar cycle. Agreement between the model and the data will validate the GEANT4 toolkit as a framework for further space weather modeling of the inner radiation belt.