<p>The site <a href="https://spaceweather.com/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://spaceweather.com/</a> has a section called Space Weather Balloon Data which shows the image below and says:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The data points in the graph above correspond to the peak of the Regener-Pfotzer maximum, which lies about 67,000 feet above central California.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/aoHS5.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/aoHS5.png" alt="The data points in the graph above correspond to the peak of the Regener-Pfotzer maximum, which lies about 67,000 feet above central California" /></a></p>
<p><strong>Questions:</strong></p>
<ol>
<li>What is the Regener-Pfotzer maximum?</li>
<li>Why does it occur at 67,000 feet <em>above central California?</em></li>
</ol>
<p>I have heard of the <a href="https://space.stackexchange.com/q/20421/12102">South Atlantic Anomaly</a> and the <a href="https://space.stackexchange.com/q/21399/12102">Equatorial Anomaly</a> but is there really a radiation anomaly over central California?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-08-17T01:09:34.710Z
I don't believe this is a localized phenomenon, it is just referring to data collected *at that site* A paper [here](https://hgss.copernicus.org/articles/5/175/2014/hgss-5-175-2014.pdf) discussed the discovery of this threshold.
justCal
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-08-17T10:53:46.060Z
@a_donda thanks!
uhoh
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-08-17T10:54:06.550Z
@Jean-MariePrival thank you! I'd left a space but the paste didn't take. It's there now.
uhoh
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-02-27T08:07:36.443Z
Knowing nothing of the topic, I could imagine that it potentially a poorly written sentence intended to indicate that the maximum is at 67,000 feet, not that the maximum is above California (instead to say that the data is collected there).  Interesting question, will be interested to hear more.
JeopardyTempest
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-04-14T15:06:11.780Z
did you read the text above the diagram in your question? Spaceweather.com and the students of Earth to Sky Calculus fly space weather balloons to the stratosphere over California. These balloons are equipped with radiation sensors that detect cosmic rays, a surprisingly "down to Earth" form of space weather.
trond hansen
<earth-observation><atmospheric-radiation><upper-atmosphere><ionizing-radiation>
Why is the Regener-Pfotzer maximum (radiation in upper atmosphere) above central California?
uhoh
# Why is the Regener-Pfotzer maximum (radiation in upper atmosphere) above central California?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-08-17)

The site <https://spaceweather.com/> has a section called Space Weather Balloon Data which shows the image below and says:

> The data points in the graph above correspond to the peak of the Regener-Pfotzer maximum, which lies about 67,000 feet above central California.

[![The data points in the graph above correspond to the peak of the Regener-Pfotzer maximum, which lies about 67,000 feet above central California](https://i.sstatic.net/aoHS5.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/aoHS5.png)

**Questions:**

1. What is the Regener-Pfotzer maximum?
2. Why does it occur at 67,000 feet *above central California?*

I have heard of the [South Atlantic Anomaly](https://space.stackexchange.com/q/20421/12102) and the [Equatorial Anomaly](https://space.stackexchange.com/q/21399/12102) but is there really a radiation anomaly over central California?

**Tags:** earth-observation, atmospheric-radiation, upper-atmosphere, ionizing-radiation

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: I don't believe this is a localized phenomenon, it is just referring to data collected *at that site* A paper [here](https://hgss.copernicus.org/articles/5/175/2014/hgss-5-175-2014.pdf) discussed the discovery of this threshold.  
> **username_0**: @a_donda thanks!  
> **username_0**: @Jean-MariePrival thank you! I'd left a space but the paste didn't take. It's there now.  
> **username_2**: Knowing nothing of the topic, I could imagine that it potentially a poorly written sentence intended to indicate that the maximum is at 67,000 feet, not that the maximum is above California (instead to say that the data is collected there).  Interesting question, will be interested to hear more.  
> **username_3**: did you read the text above the diagram in your question? Spaceweather.com and the students of Earth to Sky Calculus fly space weather balloons to the stratosphere over California. These balloons are equipped with radiation sensors that detect cosmic rays, a surprisingly "down to Earth" form of space weather.  

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## 0 answers

