Research carried out on artificial satellites and space rockets helped to find out the geography of the world of space particles and helped to determine where and in what quantity these particles are around the Earth.
Soviet scientists S.N. Vernov and A.E. Chudakov and the American scientist Van Allen made a discovery that in many ways changed the previous views on the regularities of changing the composition of cosmic rays with height. First of all it was found out that the magnetic field of the Earth has formed around of our planet a giant two-level trap for space particles which has confused all cards of researchers. It turned out that a large number of electrons and protons are oscillating inside these traps along the power lines of the Earth's magnetic field, not being able to reach the surface of the Earth, or to withdraw to interstellar space.
How did they fall into this trap? In contrast to the mouse trap, this trap not only does not release its captives, but also prevents them from penetrating into the trap. Scientists have given the unexpected decision of this riddle: the particles which have been found out by the devices established on satellites and rockets, could not enter in the bottom belt of a trap and did not enter into it - they were born in its limits! Under the influence of primary cosmic rays, the Earth's atmosphere becomes a source of neutrons, and the magnetic field does not interfere with them. Without an electric charge, neutrons freely penetrate into the magnetic trap. Some of them disintegrate inside this trap, and protons and electrons emerge from the neutrons, which have almost no chance of escaping.
Protons predominate in the inner belt. The outer belt of the trap contains mainly electrons. It is assumed that they penetrate it during periods of increased solar activity, when the Earth's magnetic field changes under the influence of the fluxes of charged particles flying from the Sun. The entrance to the trap seems to open slightly and the particles can penetrate through the weakened magnetic barrier. Once the Sun's activity has decreased, the Earth's magnetic field returns to its normal state and the particles that have penetrated the trap are trapped in it.
And recently the Soviet scientist K.I. Gringauz managed to find the third radiation belt, which is even more distant from the Earth.
The Soviet space technology increasingly expands the possibilities of physicists. Their devices stand on superheavy satellites like Proton, on twins like Electron. More than a hundred Cosmos satellites have been used to explore outer space. In the vast solar system gone station type "Probe".
The Venus and Mars space laboratories and the Moon-10 lunar orbiting space laboratories have significantly expanded our knowledge of space particles and their distribution in space.
Scientists now have comprehensive data on the location and power of these space particle belts surrounding the Earth. It turned out that the greatest intensity of the external field is manifested at an altitude of 20 thousand kilometers from the surface of the Earth. And the thickness of layers reaches the highest value in the area of the Earth's equator and turns out to be the least in the polar regions. Rockets or satellites that cross the inner radiation belt are bombarded by these particles, which create life-threatening radiation inside the spacecraft. Now starship designers know that they have to take care of protecting astronauts from this radiation and choose the trajectory so that it goes along the least dangerous path.
...Scientists continue to draw a map of the cosmic ray world. Each new launch of an artificial satellite of the Earth, even heavier, carrying on its board even more perfect equipment, each rocket furrowing the space space enters a new page in the history of space particles. Scientists already have the key to many of the mysteries of space particles. They know everything about these space travellers that you can learn about them by staying on the plain, climbing mountains or sending instruments on artificial satellites or rockets.
But there were questions that could not seem to be answered not only in our time, but even in the next century.
Where are the cosmic rays born? Where do they come from with a rapid flow to the Earth?