This day in 1958 … we learned radiation encircled us
From Wired (which has a cool series of on this day … )
1958: Data sent back by Explorer I confirms the existence of a radiation belt girdling the Earth. Because the mission is under the control of one James Van Allen, this field becomes known as the Van Allen radiation belt.
The Van Allen belt is, in effect, two croissant-shaped belts. Trapped within these belts, which run in depth from roughly 125 to 620 miles above the Earth, are radioactive particles capable of penetrating about 1 mm of lead.
Tags: Van Allen belts
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