Enhanced Radiation Doses to High-Altitude Spacecraft during June 1980

During the period June 9 to 14, 1980 fluxes of high energy electrons were greatly intensified at high altitudes. Since electrons with energies greater than a few MeV can penetrate nominal spacecraft shielding and damage electronic components, the increased fluxes during this period were investigated to determine the nature and extent of damage they might cause to spacecraft in equatorial orbits near an altitude of 30000 km. It is concluded that short term effects such as charging and subsequent discharge in dielectrics from the accumulation of electrons stopped in the material in a period of the order of a day are more likely than total dose damage over the few days duration of high flux levels.