Space Environment

SALAMMBO 3D - ELECTRON
Numerical Model for the Study of the Earth's Electron Radiation Belt Dynamics

Objectives

• Determination of the fluxes and their dynamics in Earth's radiation belts for the problems of spacecraft linked to the radiation environment:
  • internal charging and discharges
  • total dose effects

Characteristics

• Particles: electrons (50 keV-10 MeV)
• Model: 3D in the phase space (spacially axisymetric)
• Magnetic field model: IGRF (+ external field)
• Spatial temporal resolution: between 500 km and 3 000 km/1 day
• Calculation boundaries: altitude range 100 km - 40 000 km
• Maximum computation time: ~ 10 years

Physical Phenomena taken into Account

• Radial diffusion by magnetic and electric field fluctuations
• Friction process by the thermospheric atoms and molecules
• Coulomb interactions with free and bounded electrons
• Wave-particle interactions (plasmaspheric hiss, whistlers, VLF)
• Synchrotron radiation losses

Funding

• Centre National d'Etudes et de Recherches Aérospatiales (ONERA)
• Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales (CNES)
• Délégation Générale à l'Armement (DGA/ETCA)

Last Update:April 25, 2003 - © ONERA 2009 - Terms of use