Unveiling Energetic Particle Dynamics in the Near‐Earth Environment From CubeSat Missions

Abstract

AbstractThe discovery of the Van Allen radiation belts marked a prominent milestone in space physics. Recent advances, through the measurements of two CubeSat missions, have shed new light on the dynamics of energetic particles in the near‐Earth environment. Measurements from CSSWE, a student‐led mission, revealed that the decay of low‐energy neutrons, associated with cosmic rays impacting the atmosphere, is the primary source of relativistic electrons at the inner edge of the inner belt (Li et al., Nature, 2017, https://doi.org/10.1038/nature2464). Recently CIRBE captured striking details of energetic electron dynamics (Li et al., GRL, 2024, https://doi.org/10.1029/2023gl107521), further demonstrating high‐quality science achievable with CubeSat missions.