Near-earth cosmic ray decreases associated with remote coronal mass ejections

Thomas, S. R., Owens, M. J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2061-2453, Lockwood, M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7397-2172, Barnard, L. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9876-4612 and Scott, C. J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6411-5649 (2015) Near-earth cosmic ray decreases associated with remote coronal mass ejections. The Astrophysical Journal, 801 (1). 5. ISSN 1538-4357 doi: 10.1088/0004-637X/801/1/5

Abstract/Summary

Galactic cosmic ray (GCR) flux is modulated by both particle drift patterns and solar wind structures on a range of timescales. Over solar cycles, GCR flux varies as a function of the total open solar magnetic flux and the latitudinal extent of the heliospheric current sheet. Over hours, drops of a few percent in near-Earth GCR flux (Forbush decreases, FDs) are well known to be associated with the near-Earth passage of solar wind structures resulting from corotating interaction regions (CIRs) and transient coronal mass ejections (CMEs). We report on four FDs seen at ground-based neutron monitors which cannot be immediately associated with significant structures in the local solar wind. Similarly, there are significant near-Earth structures which do not produce any corresponding GCR variation. Three of the FDs are during the STEREO era, enabling in situ and remote observations from three well-separated heliospheric locations. Extremely large CMEs passed the STEREO-A spacecraft, which was behind the West limb of the Sun, approximately 2–3 days before each near- Earth FD. Solar wind simulations suggest that the CMEs combined with pre-existing CIRs, enhancing the pre-existing barriers to GCR propagation. Thus these observations provide strong evidence for the modulation of GCR flux by remote solar wind structures.

Item Type	Article
URI	https://reading-clone.eprints-hosting.org/id/eprint/39387
Identification Number/DOI	10.1088/0004-637X/801/1/5
Refereed	Yes
Divisions	Science > School of Mathematical, Physical and Computational Sciences > Department of Meteorology
Publisher	American Astronomical Society
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