A Simultaneous Forbush Decrease Associated with an Earthward Coronal Mass Ejection Observed by STEREO

Abstract

The intensity–time profile of Forbush decrease (FD) events observed by neutron monitors (NMs) looks like that of a geomagnetic storm as defined by the Dst index. Oh, Yi, and Kim (J. Geophys. Res. 113, A01103, 2008) and Oh and Yi (J. Geophys. Res. 114, A11102, 2009) classified FD events based on the amount of overlap and simultaneity of their main phase in Universal Time (UT). Oh and Yi define an FD event as simultaneous if the main phases observed by NMs distributed evenly around the Earth overlap in UT, and nonsimultaneous if they overlap only in the local time of some stations. They suggested that the occurrence mechanisms of two types of FD events may be related to interplanetary (IP) magnetic structures such as IP shocks and magnetic clouds. In their model, the simultaneity of FD events depends on the strength and propagation direction of magnetic structures overtaking the Earth. Recently, the Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO) mission has been able to visualize the emergence and propagation direction of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) in three dimensions in the heliosphere; thus, it is now possible to test the suggested mechanisms. One simultaneous FD event observed on 18 February 2011 may have been caused by a CME heading directly toward the Earth, which was observed on 15 February 2011 by the STEREO mission. Therefore, the simultaneity of FD events is proven to be a useful analysis tool in understanding the geoeffectiveness of solar events such as interplanetary CMEs and IP shocks.