Radial diffusion by nonconservation of the third adiabatic invariant of particle motion is assumed in analyzing experiments in which electrons appeared to move across field lines. Time‐dependent solutions of the Fokker‐Planck diffusion equation are obtained numerically and fitted to the experimental results by adjusting the diffusion coefficient. Values deduced for the diffusion coefficient vary from 1.3 × 10−5 RE²/day at L = 1.76 to 0.10 RE²/day at L = 5. In the interval 2.6 < L < 5, the coefficient varies as L10±1. Assuming a constant electron source of arbitrary magnitude at L = 6 and the above diffusion coefficients, the equatorial equilibrium distribution is calculated for electrons with energies above 1.6 Mev. The calculation yields an outer belt of electrons whose radial distribution is in good agreement with the observed belt. The calculated distribution also exhibits an inner belt at L ≈ 1.5. However, the calculated intensity of the inner belt relative to the outer belt is several orders of magnitude smaller than the experimental ratio.

Theoretical values are presented of the bremsstrahlung flux escaping the atmosphere for various incident electron fluxes. The assumed incident electron fluxes were isotropic with exponential energy spectra. The escaping bremsstrahlung intensity, energy spectra, and angular d•stributions depend on the incident electron flux characteristics, indicating that measurements of bremsstrahlung can be used to derive information on the electron precipitation.

An empirical evaluation of the diffusion coefficient for trapped electrons diffusing across low L shells is obtained by adjusting the coefficient to account for the observed radial profile and the long‐term decay rate of the trapped electron flux. The diffusion mechanism is not identified, but it is assumed that the adiabatic invariants µ and J are conserved. The average value of the coefficient for electrons > 1.6 Mev energy is found to decrease monotonically from ∼4 × 10−6 RE²/day at L = 1.16 to ∼2 × 10−7 RE²/day at L = 1.20.

The transport equation pertaining to cosmic‐ray neutrons in the atmosphere was solved for neutron flux by means of the numerical multigroup Sn method. Flux values were obtained at geomagnetic latitude 57°N as a function of altitude and energy group in the range from thermal to 20 Mev. These results, and continuous neutron flux distributions over energy determined from them, are presented for several representative altitudes. On the basis of the fluxes and appropriate neutron cross sections, averaged world rates for production of carbon 14 and tritium by neutron absorption processes in the atmosphere were calculated to be 2.1 atoms C14 cm−2 sec−1 and 0.07 atom T cm−2 sec−1. All results obtained are compared with other results.

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