Radial diffusion of inner-zone protons: Observations and variational analysis

Omnidirectional proton intensities (Eapprox. =9--310 MeV) have been measured in seven energy channels by means of instruments on board the satellite OV1-19 (1969--25C). Undirectional spectra representative of the time interval March--November 1969 (a period near solar maximum) have been constructed from the data by standard methods. The results enable one to construct the distribution function f (M, L) at vanishing second invariant J for 1.18< or =L< or =2. The profiles of f (M,L) thus obtained are manipulated by a new variational method to yeild normalization parameters for the radial diffusion coefficients D/sub ll//sup m/and D/sub LL//sup e/,caused, respectively, by magnetic and electrostatic impulses of magnetospheric extent. One typically obtains D/sub LL/ approx.7 x 10-9+1 x 10-10 x (γM0/M)2L10 day-1 as the best two-parameter fit to D/sub LL/degreeD/sub LL/(/subm//sup //sup +/D/sub LL/(/sube//sup /,where M0degree1 GeV/G and γ is the ratio of relativistic mass (m) to rest mass (m0)