During a ~3 month period in mid-1996 outer radiation belt electrons in the energy range from ~3 to 8 MeV were diffusing inward and decaying in intensity with no internal or external source. Measurements from the HIST instrument on POLAR are used to constrain a model for time dependent lossy radial diffusion of these electrons, and to obtain estimates of a parameterized radial diffusion coefficient and lifetime. For lower energy electrons, of ~1 to 3 MeV, a source at L>6 is apparent throughout most of the same period.¿ 1997 American Geophysical Union