Modeling the outer belt enhancements of penetrating electrons

Mega-electron volt electrons in the outer radiation belt present a spacecraft hazard in the form of internal charging effects during periods of flux enhancement that often result from the interaction of high-speed solar wind streams with the Earth's magnetosphere. The morphology of these enhancements throughout a complete solar cycle is described using data from spacecraft in geosynchronous and geostationary-transfer orbits; this then permits the development of an empirical flux model for an engineering software tool designed to assess the vulnerability of satellite systems to the electrostatic charging of shielded dielectrics. This model, named FLUMIC, is unrefined but has a specific focus to serve a practical need and is very simple to use; it also represents one step in a universal quest to pension off the venerated but largely inadequate AE-8 code.