"Revealed: Decades of Inaccurate Space Nuclear Explosion Calculations, Says Los Alamos Scientist"

A scientist at Los Alamos National Laboratory has discovered errors in mathematical calculations related to the effects of nuclear explosions in space, which have gone undetected for nearly 50 years. These errors have impacted our understanding of the influence of electromagnetic waves on the dispersal of trapped electrons in the Earth's magnetic fields. The discovery offers an opportunity to improve protections for space technologies and better predict the threat and efficacy of radiation belt remediation strategies. The errors have implications for the damage caused to satellites by artificial radiation belts formed after nuclear explosions in space, and they conflict with quasilinear theory, a cornerstone for existing models used to understand spacecraft protection.