Nuts & Volts - September 2005

Near Space

ground as cosmic rays.

Radiation primarily forms two belts around Earth and is centered equidistantly from Earth’s magnetic poles (the magnetic poles are offset from Earth’s rotational poles).

The inner belt consists primarily of energetic protons emitted by the Sun. These protons carry energies in the range of 10 to 100 MeV. The inner belt is located between 400 and 4,000 miles above Earth’s surface. This belt was discovered by the first satellite launched by the United States, Explorer 1. The second belt is divided into two parts, an inner radiation belt of 1 MeV particles and an outer ring current of very low energy particles ( 50 KeV ions and electrons) (see Figure 3).

After a period of time, exposure to the Van Allen Belts without protective shielding is fatal. The Apollo astronauts absorbed approximately 1% of a fatal dose of radiation when they traveled over the inner belt and briefly through the outer belt. When a Moon Hoax devotee tells you that the Apollo astronauts could not have traveled through the Van Allen Radiation Belts, they’re only displaying their ignorance. The radiation simply isn’t that dangerous to astronauts quickly traversing the belts inside a metal spacecraft.

An SE would partially reside within the Van Allen Belts. If the SE transports people to space, then the climbers need shielding. Unfortunately, shielding usually means adding metal plates or tanks of water to the outside of the climber. The additional weight reduces the amount of cargo each climber can carry and increases the cost of each trip.

Several solutions are possible. First, climbers may be lightly shielded and make the trip through the worst parts of the belts very quickly. This doesn’t prevent exposure to radiation, but it does limit it. Another possibility is that the climbers can be surrounded with powerful magnets. Some radiation will then be deflected by the climber’s powerful magnetic fields. The lower the energy of the radiation, the more effective the magnetic shielding. Depending on how it’s done, the radiation exposure may be as acceptable as that received during a transoceanic flight.

Alternatively, the presence of the SE may create a short circuit to the ultimate ground, Earth. Electrical current is moving electrons, and when given a short circuit to ground, they make the detour with gusto. Perhaps the SE can drain radiation out of the Van Allen Belts, thereby making radiation shielding less problematic. Of course, this will reduce the aurora displays seen on Earth. NV

References

www.xs4all.nl/~hnetten/tallest.html www.spaceelevator.com

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