Quiet-time increases of low-energy electrons - The Jovian origin

With a detector on board the OGO-5 satellite, the flux and energy spectrum of electrons in the 10-200-MeV range has been continuously measured from 1968 to 1971. Sudden increases in intensity by factors of up to 300% have been observed during solar quiet times. It is shown that these increases are nearly independent of energy up to about 25 MeV and disappear rapidly above that energy. The frequency of the increases peaks every 13 months at a time following the crossing by earth of the interplanetary magnetic-field line which passes the vicinity of the planet Jupiter. Most of the increases occur in a period of 3 to 5 months following this crossing and often appear to be 27 days apart. A Jovian origin for these electrons and their mode of transport to the inner solar system are discussed.