Published 2010 | Version v1
Journal article

Integral primary cosmic ray spectra in the planetary atmospheres in extreme phases of the solar cycle

  • 1. Space Research Institute, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia (Bulgaria)

Description

The cosmic radiation can induce ionization and excitation of the planetary ionospheres and also nuclear reactions in their deeper atmospheric layers. The contribution of cosmic rays (CR) to the ionization of the ionospheres of the outer planets increases with increasing the distance from the Sun. We examine a model which generalizes the differential D(E) spectra of low energy galactic CR and anomalous CR in the planetary atmospheres during solar cycle. On the base of computed model parameters for 1 AU integral CR spectra D(>E) for the Earth and outer planet are obtained at solar minimum and maximum. The used average radial gradient is 3%/AU for ≥0.2 GeV galactic protons and ≥0.065 GeV/nucl alpha particles. We admit that this value decreases with increasing rigidity (or energy) in the GV (or GeV) range and reaches 1%/AU for the nuclei ≥10 GeV/nucl. The average radial gradients are 7%/AU for anomalous protons and 8.5%/AU for anomalous helium. The obtained results are compared with experimental data and theoretical results. We show that in periods of low solar activity and with increasing the planetary distances from the Sun the role of the primary particle fluxes increases as ionization factor in the Earth's and planetary environments. (authors)

Additional details

Publishing Information

Journal Title
Comptes Rendus de l'Academie Bulgare des Sciences
Journal Volume
63
Journal Issue
3
Journal Page Range
p. 419-426
ISSN
1310-1331

Optional Information

Notes
2 figs., 3 tabs., 25 refs.