Geomagnetically trapped, albedo and solar energetic particles: trajectory analysis and flux reconstruction with PAMELA

TL;DR

This paper presents a detailed analysis of energetic particle populations in near-Earth space using PAMELA satellite data, focusing on trajectory reconstruction and flux measurement of trapped, albedo, and solar energetic particles.

Contribution

It introduces a comprehensive method for trajectory analysis and flux reconstruction of various cosmic-ray populations with PAMELA's precise measurements and realistic geomagnetic modeling.

Findings

Accurate classification of particle origins achieved.

Detailed flux spectra of trapped and albedo particles obtained.

Insights into geomagnetic cutoff variations during storms.

Abstract

The PAMELA satellite experiment is providing comprehensive observations of the interplanetary and magnetospheric radiation in the near-Earth environment. Thanks to its identification capabilities and the semi-polar orbit, PAMELA is able to precisely measure the energetic spectra and the angular distributions of the different cosmic-ray populations over a wide latitude region, including geomagnetically trapped and albedo particles. Its observations comprise the solar energetic particle events between solar cycles 23 and 24, and the geomagnetic cutoff variations during magnetospheric storms. PAMELA's measurements are supported by an accurate analysis of particle trajectories in the Earth's magnetosphere based on a realistic geomagnetic field modeling, which allows the classification of particle populations of different origin and the investigation of the asymptotic directions of arrival.