Van Allen Probes find particle accelerator in the heart of Earth’s radiation belts
http://thespacereporter.com/2013/07/van-allen-probes-find-particle-accelerator-in-the-heart-of-earths-radiation-belts/

Astronomers have found a large particle accelerator in the heart of Earth’s radiation belts (Van Allen radiation belts). Prior to this discovery, astronomers were aware that something in space accelerated particles in the radiation belts to near the speed of light but they didn’t know what that something was. Now, new findings from NASA’s Van Allen Probes reveal that the acceleration energy originates from within the belts themselves. Particles located inside the belts are accelerated by local kicks of energy, pushing the particles to ever faster speeds.

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