scholarly journals Solar energetic particle interactions with the Venusian atmosphere

2016 ◽  
Vol 34 (7) ◽  
pp. 595-608 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christina Plainaki ◽  
Pavlos Paschalis ◽  
Davide Grassi ◽  
Helen Mavromichalaki ◽  
Maria Andriopoulou
Keyword(s):  
Space Weather ◽  
Solar Energetic Particle ◽  
Cosmic Ray ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Data Interpretation ◽  
Field Configuration ◽  
Near Earth Space ◽  
Ion Production ◽  
Galactic Cosmic Ray ◽  
Venusian Atmosphere

Abstract. In the context of planetary space weather, we estimate the ion production rates in the Venusian atmosphere due to the interactions of solar energetic particles (SEPs) with gas. The assumed concept for our estimations is based on two cases of SEP events, previously observed in near-Earth space: the event in October 1989 and the event in May 2012. For both cases, we assume that the directional properties of the flux and the interplanetary magnetic field configuration would have allowed the SEPs' arrival at Venus and their penetration to the planet's atmosphere. For the event in May 2012, we consider the solar particle properties (integrated flux and rigidity spectrum) obtained by the Neutron Monitor Based Anisotropic GLE Pure Power Law (NMBANGLE PPOLA) model (Plainaki et al., 2010, 2014) applied previously for the Earth case and scaled to the distance of Venus from the Sun. For the simulation of the actual cascade in the Venusian atmosphere initiated by the incoming particle fluxes, we apply the DYASTIMA code, a Monte Carlo (MC) application based on the Geant4 software (Paschalis et al., 2014). Our predictions are afterwards compared to other estimations derived from previous studies and discussed. Finally, we discuss the differences between the nominal ionization profile due to galactic cosmic-ray–atmosphere interactions and the profile during periods of intense solar activity, and we show the importance of understanding space weather conditions on Venus in the context of future mission preparation and data interpretation.

Galactic cosmic ray induced ionisation on Venus and its effect on cloud droplet stability

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Airey ◽  
Giles Harrison ◽  
Karen Aplin ◽  
Christian Pfrang
Keyword(s):  
Cosmic Rays ◽  
Evaporation Rate ◽  
Cloud Droplet ◽  
Ccd Camera ◽  
Cosmic Ray ◽  
Galactic Cosmic Rays ◽  
Cloud Droplets ◽  
Droplet Stability ◽  
Ion Production ◽  
Galactic Cosmic Ray

<p>Galactic cosmic rays are ubiquitous in solar system atmospheres. On Venus, the altitude of peak ion production due to cosmic rays (the Pfotzer-Regener maximum) occurs at ~63 km, within the optically thick region of the upper clouds. This indicates the possibility of electrical effects on droplets within Venusian clouds. Motivated by this, our VENI (Venusian Electricity, Nephology, and Ionisation) project explores effects of galactic cosmic ray (GCR) induced ionisation on cloud droplets in circumstances with relevance to Venus’ atmosphere. Charge is known to lower the critical supersaturation required for cloud droplets to form; slightly larger droplets are stable at lower saturation ratios if sufficiently charged. Condensation of gas directly onto ions is also potentially possible on Venus if the atmosphere is sufficiently supersaturated. GCRs and the secondary charged particles they produce are therefore anticipated to affect cloud droplet behaviour on Venus.</p><p>Experiments have been conducted using electrically isolated droplets, through levitation in a standing acoustic wave. The droplets are monitored with a high-magnification CCD camera to determine their evaporation rate and charge. The charge is measured both by the deflection in an electric field and by passing the droplet through a custom-built induction ring. A relationship between the evaporation rate and charge of the droplets is found to be consistent with theory, allowing droplet lifetime to be predicted for a given charge. Further experiments using sulphuric acid droplets in a carbon dioxide environment offer more direct relevance to the Venusian environment and cosmic ray enhancement due to solar energetic particles (SEPs) in space weather events will be simulated using a corona source.</p>

scholarly journals Galactic cosmic ray hydrogen spectra and radial gradients in the inner heliosphere measured by the HELIOS Experiment 6

2019 ◽  
Vol 625 ◽  
pp. A153 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Marquardt ◽  
B. Heber
Keyword(s):  
Operation Time ◽  
Solar Energetic Particle ◽  
Cosmic Ray ◽  
Solar Observation ◽  
Temperature Dependent ◽  
Outer Heliosphere ◽  
Quenching Factor ◽  
Galactic Cosmic Ray ◽  
Inner Heliosphere

Context. The HELIOS solar observation probes provide unique data regarding their orbit and operation time. One of the onboard instruments, the Experiment 6 (E6), is capable of measuring ions from 4 to several hundred MeV nucleon−1. Aims. In this paper we aim to demonstrate the relevance of the E6 data for the calculation of galactic cosmic ray (GCR), anomalous cosmic ray (ACR), and solar energetic particle (SEP) fluxes for different distances from the sun and time periods. Methods. Several corrections have been applied to the raw data: determination of the Quenching factor of the scintillator, correction of the temperature dependent electronics, degradation of the scintillator as well as the effects on the edge of semi-conductor detectors. Results. Fluxes measured by the E6 are in accordance with the force field solution for the GCR and match models of the anomalous cosmic ray propagation. GCR radial gradients in the inner heliosphere show a different behaviour than in the outer heliosphere.

scholarly journals Revisiting the cosmic-ray induced Venusian ionization with the Atmospheric Radiation Interaction Simulator (AtRIS)

2019 ◽  
Vol 624 ◽  
pp. A124 ◽  
Author(s):  
Konstantin Herbst ◽  
Saša Banjac ◽  
Tom A. Nordheim
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Particle ◽  
Cosmic Ray ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Planetary Atmospheres ◽  
Atmospheric Radiation ◽  
Solar Particle Events ◽  
Galactic Cosmic Ray ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Atmospheric Ionization ◽  
Venusian Atmosphere

Context. Cosmic ray bombardment represents a major source of ionization in planetary atmospheres. The higher the energy of the primary cosmic ray particles, the deeper they can penetrate into the atmosphere. In addition, incident high energy cosmic ray particles induce extensive secondary particle cascades (“air showers”) that can contain up to several billion secondary particles per incoming primary particle. To quantify cosmic ray-induced effects on planetary atmospheres it is therefore important to accurately model the entire secondary particle cascade. This is particularly important in thick planetary atmospheres where the secondary particle cascades can develop extensively before being absorbed by the surface. Aims. Inside the Venusian atmosphere, cosmic rays are the dominant driver for the ionization below an altitude of ~100 km. In this work we revisit the numerical modeling of the galactic and solar cosmic-ray induced atmospheric ionization for cosmic ray ions from Hydrogen (Z = 1) to Nickel (Z = 28) and investigate the influence of strong solar energetic particle events inside the Venusian atmosphere. Methods. The Atmospheric Radiation Interaction Simulator (AtRIS), a newly developed simulation code to model the interaction of the near-(exo)planet particle and radiation field with the (exo)planetary atmosphere, was used to revisit the modeling of the altitude-dependent Venusian atmospheric ionization. Thereby, spherical geometry, the newest version of Geant4 (10.5) as well as the newest Geant4-based hadronic and electromagnetic interaction models were utilized. Results. Based on our new model approach we show that previous studies may have underestimated the galactic cosmic ray-induced atmospheric ion pair production by, amongst others, underestimating the influence of galactic cosmic ray protons above 1 TeV/nuc. Furthermore, we study the influence of 71 exceptionally strong solar particle events that were measured as Ground Level Enhancements at the Earth’s surface, and show a detailed analysis of the impact of such strong events on the Venusian ionization.

scholarly journals Nowcast and forecast of galactic cosmic ray (GCR) and solar energetic particle (SEP) fluxes in magnetosphere and ionosphere – Extension of WASAVIES to Earth orbit

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. A9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tatsuhiko Sato ◽  
Ryuho Kataoka ◽  
Daikou Shiota ◽  
Yûki Kubo ◽  
Mamoru Ishii ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Energetic Particle ◽  
Solar Energetic Particle ◽  
Cosmic Ray ◽  
Ground Level ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Extended Version ◽  
High Energy Proton ◽  
Dose Rates ◽  
Energy Proton ◽  
Galactic Cosmic Ray

Real-time estimation of cosmic-ray fluxes on satellite orbits is one of the greatest challenges in space weather research. Therefore, we develop a system for nowcasting and forecasting the galactic cosmic ray (GCR) and solar energetic particle (SEP) fluxes at any location in the magnetosphere and ionosphere during ground-level enhancement (GLE) events. It is an extended version of the WArning System for AVIation Exposure to SEP (WASAVIES), which can determine event profiles by using real-time data of the count rates of several neutron monitors (NMs) at the ground level and high-energy proton fluxes observed by Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES) satellites. The extended version, called WASAVIES-EO, can calculate the GCR and SEP fluxes outside a satellite based on its two-line element (TLE) data. Moreover, organ absorbed-dose and dose-equivalent rates of astronauts in the International Space Station (ISS) can be estimated using the system, considering its shielding effect. The accuracy of WASAVIES-EO was validated based on the dose rates measured in ISS, as well as based on high-energy proton fluxes observed by POES satellites during large GLEs that have occurred in the 21st century. Agreement between the nowcast and forecast dose rates in ISS, especially in terms of their temporal structures, indicates the usefulness of the developed system for future mission operations.

scholarly journals Earth electric field negative anomalies as earthquake precursors

2020 ◽  
Vol 196 ◽  
pp. 01004
Author(s):  
Sergey Smirnov
Keyword(s):  
Electric Field ◽  
Field Potential ◽  
Potential Gradient ◽  
Cosmic Ray ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Fair Weather ◽  
Earthquake Forecast ◽  
Electric Field Potential ◽  
Galactic Cosmic Ray ◽  
Cosmic Ray Flux

In fair weather conditions, electric field potential gradient in the near-ground air takes positive values. Negative anomalies occur under the influence of different ionizing processes such as galactic cosmic ray flux and radioactive gas emanation from the ground. In the conditions of calm geomagnetic state and fair weather, anomalies can be used for earthquake forecast. In the paper, the efficiency of earthquake forecast based on negative anomalies is under the study. It was obtained that the efficiency of such a forecast during any weather conditions is 10%.

scholarly journals Impact of High Energy Cosmic Rays on Global Atmospheric Electrical Parameters over Different Orographically Important Places of India

2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Adarsh Kumar ◽  
H. P. Singh
Keyword(s):  
Cosmic Rays ◽  
Forbush Decrease ◽  
Cosmic Ray ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Electrical Parameters ◽  
High Energy Cosmic Rays ◽  
Cosmic Ray Modulation ◽  
Atmospheric Conductivity ◽  
Galactic Cosmic Ray

Global atmospheric electrical parameters such as atmospheric conductivity, air-earth current density, atmospheric electric field, and atmospheric potential have been calculated for eighty different orographically important places of India under the influence of cosmic ray modulation factor due to Forbush decrease assuming fair weather conditions. The results have been compared with the earlier work of Kumar et al. (1998) and show that the correlation between cosmic rays and global atmospheric electrical parameters near the earth surface depends upon the relative magnitudes of galactic cosmic ray particles.

scholarly journals Investigation of the relation between space-weather parameters and Forbush decreases automatically selected from Moscow and Apatity cosmic ray stations during solar cycle 23

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (11) ◽  
pp. 273
Author(s):  
Jibrin Adejoh Alhassan ◽  
Ogbonnaya Okike ◽  
Augustine Ejikeme Chukwude
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cycle ◽  
Space Weather ◽  
Cosmic Ray ◽  
Computer Code ◽  
Weather Data ◽  
Forbush Decreases ◽  
Two Samples ◽  
Solar Cycle 23 ◽  
Weather Parameters ◽  
Galactic Cosmic Ray

Abstract We present the results of an investigation of the relation between space-weather parameters and cosmic ray (CR) intensity modulation using algorithm-selected Forbush decreases (FDs) from Moscow (MOSC) and Apatity (APTY) neutron monitor (NM) stations during solar cycle 23. Our FD location program detected 408 and 383 FDs from MOSC and APTY NM stations respectively. A coincident computer code employed in this work detected 229 FDs that were observed at the same Universal Time (UT) at the two stations. Out of the 229 simultaneous FDs, we formed a subset of 139 large FDs(%) ≤ − 4 at the MOSC station. We performed a two-dimensional regression analysis between the FD magnitudes and the space-weather data on the two samples. We find that there were significant space-weather disturbances at the time of the CR flux depressions. The correlation between the space-weather parameters and decreases in galactic cosmic ray (GCR) intensity at the two NM stations is statistically significant. The implications of the present space-weather data on CR intensity depressions are highlighted.

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