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The Van Allen radiation belts: two giant swaths of radiation

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around Earth were the first discover of the space age in 1958.

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In August 2012, NASA launched the Van Allen Probes

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to provide the most detailed picture of the belts ever seen.

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Within days of launch, the probes revealed a third, never before seen ring

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of radiation that persisted for about a month.

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Scientists already knew the belts shrink and swell in response to incoming

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energy from the sun, but they don't know exactly how.

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The discovery of a new belt offers additional clues to map out the mysteries of the region,

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and shows us that first discovery of the space age can still