Interplanetary Shocks Create Killer Electrons (VIDEO)

European Space Agency

Caption

Data from Cluster, and other spacecraft monitoring the magnetosphere, have shown that interplanetary shocks -- caused by coronal mass ejections from the Sun -- can create "killer electrons" in the near-Earth space environment within 15 minutes of the shock reaching the Earth's protective magnetic bubble. Killer electrons are highly energetic particles trapped in the Earth's outer radiation belt.

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ESA

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