Geomagnetic Activity and North-South Asymmetry of Cosmic Rays Circa 1 Gv.
Abstract
Various features of solar sector synchronous modulations of the particulate cosmic radiation reaching the earth's atmosphere have been studied using satellite and surface data. The flux in the broad maximum of the galactic cosmic ray differential spectrum (near 1 Gv rigidity) exhibits an intermittent north south asymmetry in mid and high geomagnetic latitudes. This modulation exhibited a strong association with geomagnetic disturbance index and interplanetary magnetic field direction during the 1964 and 1965 years of sunspot minimum. Such correlations are consistent with the predictions of a theory that attributes the north south asymmetry to reconnection of the interplanetary and geomagnetic fields. This finding is also consistent with suggestions that solar activity influence on atmospheric processes may be mediated by the resulting modulations of upper tropospheric ionization. Keywords: Solar activity,; Sun weather problem; Geomagnetic activity; Cosmic ray modulations; Upper tropospheric ionization; Cyclonic vorticity; Lightning frequency; Cirrus clouds.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 26, 1986
- Accession Number
- ADA178274
Entities
People
- John T. Ely
- Tsai C. Huang
Organizations
- University of Washington