radiatsioonivööndites

Radiatsioonivööndites, known in English as radiation belts or Van Allen belts, are regions of energetic charged particles (primarily electrons and protons) trapped by a planet's magnetic field. Earth has two main radiation belts, the inner and outer belts. The inner belt is closer to Earth and contains higher-energy particles, while the outer belt is larger and contains more particles but with lower energies on average. These particles originate from solar wind and cosmic rays.

The Earth's magnetic field acts like a giant magnetic bottle, trapping these charged particles and preventing them from reaching the planet's surface. The particles spiral along the magnetic field lines, bouncing between the magnetic poles. The intensity and structure of these belts can fluctuate significantly due to solar activity, such as solar flares and coronal mass ejections, which can inject more particles into the belts or cause them to dissipate.

Satellites and spacecraft passing through these radiation belts can be exposed to high levels of radiation, which can damage electronic components and pose a risk to astronauts. Therefore, spacecraft designers often need to incorporate radiation shielding to protect their missions. While dangerous for technology and humans, these belts also play a role in protecting Earth from harmful solar and cosmic radiation. Aurora phenomena are also linked to the interaction of particles from these belts with the Earth's atmosphere.