Amplitude Of Diurnal Anisotropy Research Articles

Amplitude of the Usual Cosmic Ray Diurnal and Enhanced Anisotropies: Implications for the Observed Magnitude, Timing, and Ranking of Forbush Decreases

Abstract Cosmic ray (CR) diurnal anisotropy and Forbush decreases (FDs), as well as the relationship between them, have received considerable study. Several astrophysicists have focused on the speculated impact of FDs on the amplitude of the diurnal CR variations on different timescales. In an attempt to disentangle the contribution of FDs, days of Forbush events are traditionally excluded while calculating the diurnal amplitude in individual neutron monitor (NM) data. But the implications of CR diurnal anisotropy on the magnitude of FDs are rarely investigated in detail. Recently, an effort was made, using a combination of Fast Fourier transform and FD-location algorithms, to account for the contribution of CR diurnal anisotropy on the number, magnitude, and timing of FDs. With some technical advancements, the efficiency of the software is tested in the current work using CR data measured by the oldest CR observatory (Climax) from 1953 to 2006. We find strong and statistically significant correlations between FD magnitude calculated from raw and Fourier transformed CR data and the amplitude of diurnal anisotropy. The relationship is stronger in the case of the Fourier transformed signal, lending credence to the idea that CR anisotropy is a part of Forbush events. In order to validate the observed relationship between the amplitude of CR diurnal variations, magnitude, and timing of FDs, large volumes of data from the Moscow, McMurdo, and Potchefstroom NMs were also analyzed. The significant CR intensity decreases (FD magnitude >5%) at the four stations were ranked according to their magnitudes.

Interplanetary Transients and Cosmic-Ray Anisotropy

Cosmic-ray intensity data recorded with the ground-based neutron monitor at Deep River have been investigated taking into account the associated interplanetary magnetic field and solar-wind plasma data during 1981 – 1994. A large number of days having abnormally high or low amplitudes for five or more successive days as compared to the annual average amplitude of diurnal anisotropy have been taken as high- or low-amplitude anisotropic wave-train events. The amplitude of the diurnal anisotropy of these events is found to increase on days with a magnetic cloud as compared to the days prior to the event, and it is found to decrease during the later period of the event as the cloud passes the Earth. The high-speed solar-wind streams do not play any significant role in causing these types of events. However, corotating solar-wind streams produce significant deviations in cosmic-ray intensity during high- and low-amplitude events. The interplanetary disturbances (magnetic clouds) are also effective in producing cosmic-ray decreases. Hα solar flares have a good positive correlation with both the amplitude and direction of the anisotropy for high-amplitude events, while the principal magnetic storms have a good positive correlation with both amplitude and direction of the anisotropy for low-amplitude events. The source responsible for these unusual anisotropic wave trains in cosmic rays has been proposed.

Characteristics of Enhanced and Low Amplitude Anisotropic Wave Trains and Interplanetary Transients

The occurrence of a large number of high and low amplitude anisotropic wave train events over the years 1981–1994 has been examined along with the different solar features. The results indicate that the time of maximum of diurnal variation significantly remains in the 18-h direction for majority of the high and low amplitude wave trains. The amplitude of diurnal anisotropy remains significantly high and phase shifts towards earlier hours as compared to the quite day annual average values for majority of the HAEs. The diurnal amplitude remains significantly low and phase shifts towards earlier hours as compared to the quiet day annual average values for majority of the LAEs. The occurrence of these enhanced/low amplitude events is found to be dominant during the positive polarity of the Bz component of the interplanetary magnetic field. The amplitude of the diurnal anisotropy of these events is found to increase on the days of magnetic cloud as compared to the days prior to the event and it found to decrease during the later period of the event as the cloud passes the Earth. The high-speed solar wind streams do not play any significant role in causing these types of events. The interplanetary disturbances (magnetic clouds) are also effective in producing cosmic ray decreases.

Amplitude of diurnal anisotropy of cosmic ray intensity

Cosmic ray intensity mean diurnal variation, taking into account angle between solar corotational velocity and earth equatorial plane