A self-consistent model for Jupiter's radiation belts

Abstract

The solar wind is assumed to be a sufficient source for the radiation belts of Jupiter, with radial diffusion as the process for getting the solar wind fluxes into the inner regions of the radiation belts. The process of a radial diffusion source is combined with pitch-angle diffusion losses to estimate an upper limit to the proton and electron fluxes. The upper limit to the integral proton and electron fluxes in the outer zone scale as L to the -6th power throughout the outer zone, assuming that the magnetic moment is conserved. It is important that these fluxes are above the stably trapped flux levels in the outer regions of the belts; the instability will work because the energies of the particles are above the critical value required.