BATSE observations of bremsstrahlung from electron precipitation events

The BATSE on-board burst system has been triggered by over 400 terrestrial electron precipitation events. These are the single largest cause of false triggers. Bremsstrahlung is generated as the precipitating electrons interact in the Earth's atmosphere, or in the spacecraft, and this radiation is detected by the Large Area Detectors, often triggering the instrument into burst mode. Several examples of such events are presented here, and the different classes of events are described. A possible correlation of events to strong magnetospheric activity is presented, and the association of a sub-set of events to a powerful VLF transmitter on the western coast of Australia is described.