The radial diffusion mechanism is of utmost importance to both the acceleration and loss of relativistic electrons in the outer radiation belt and, consequently, for physics-based models, which provide nowcasting and forecasting of the electron population. In the framework of the "SafeSpace" project, we have created a database of calculated radial diffusion coefficients, and, furthermore, we have exploited it to provide insights for future modelling efforts.

It has long been known that particles get accelerated close to the speed of light in the near-Earth space environment. Research in the last decades has also clarified what processes and waves are responsible for the acceleration of particles. However, it is difficult to quantify the scale of the impact of various processes competing with one another. In this study we present a methodology to quantify the impact waves can have on energetic particles.

The nature of the semi-annual variation in the relativistic electron fluxes in the Earth's outer radiation belt has been a debate for over 30 years. Our work shows that it is primarily driven by the Russell–McPherron effect, which indicates that reconnection is responsible not only for the short-scale but also the seasonal variability of the electron belt as well. Moreover, it is more pronounced during the descending phase of the solar cycles and coexists with periods of fast solar wind speed.

Geomagnetic activity is known to exhibit semi-annual variation with larger occurrences during equinoxes. A similar seasonal feature was reported for relativistic (∼ MeV) electrons throughout the entire outer zone radiation belt. Present work, for the first time reveals that electron fluxes increase with an ∼ 6-month periodicity in a limited L-shell only with large dependence in solar activity cycle. In addition, flux enhancements are not essentially equinoctial.

We compared trapped outer radiation belt electron fluxes to high-latitude precipitating electron fluxes during two interplanetary coronal mass ejections (ICMEs) with opposite magnetic cloud rotation. The electron response had many similarities and differences between the two events, indicating that different acceleration mechanisms acted. Van Allen Probe data were used for trapped electron flux measurements, and Polar Operational Environmental Satellites were used for precipitating flux data.