Observations of the Van Allen Radiation Regions During August and September 1959

An integrating ionization chamber and a single Geiger counter were flown on United States satellite Explorer VI in an elliptical orbit extending to 48,000 km. In addition to the Van Allen inner zone and the great outer zone, a stable and distinct intermediate zone was detected throughout August and September 1959. The outer-zone intensity showed a large decrease following the sudden commencement of a geomagnetic storm. Later in the storm the outer zone increased to much in excess of its prestorm level. During stable periods the outer zone was fairly constant and less intense than it had been observed to be with Pioneer III or Pioneer IV or the first Soviet cosmic rocket. Cosmic-ray background counting rates were reached on most passes in August and Septmeber near apogee of the satellite. The radiation ?dumped? from the outer zone during the geomagnetic storm fits very well with the intensity and latitude distribution required to account for balloon observations of auroral X rays made during the IGY period. This paper is based on preliminary analysis of Explorer VI data.