Cosmic Ray Induced Ion Production in the Atmosphere

Bazilevskaya, G. A.; Usoskin, Ilya; Flückiger, E. O.; Harrison, Richard G.; Desorgher, L.; Bütikofer, R.; Крайнев, М. Б.; Махмутов, В. С.; Stozhkov, Y. I.; Svirzhevskaya, A. K.; Kovaltsov, Gennady A.

doi:10.1007/978-0-387-87664-1_10

Cited by 65 publications

(67 citation statements)

References 85 publications

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“…The flux of secondaries builds with increasing shielding depth until it reaches a peak, known as the Pfotzer maximum, after which the average particle energy is below the threshold for new particle production and the cascade is steadily absorbed. In Earth's atmosphere, the Pfotzer maximum occurs at the altitude of 15-26 km, depending on latitude and solar activity level (Bazilevskaya et al, 2008).…”

Section: Cosmic Ray Sourcesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For more detail on the production and dynamics of SEP and GCR and their interactions with shielding matter (be it planetary atmospheres, surface, or spacecraft pressure hulls), interested readers are directed to recent reviews provided by, for example, Amsler et al (2008b), Bazilevskaya et al (2008), and Ferrari and Szuszkiewicz (2009).…”

Section: Cosmic Ray Sourcesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Several recent papers have modeled the ionization profile through Earth's atmosphere from SCR and GCR (for example, see Jackman et al, 2000;Usoskin and Kovaltsov, 2006;Vasilyev et al, 2008), with up-to-date overviews of the field by Bazilevskaya et al (2008) and Usoskin et al (2009), these authors comparing the results of several different numerical models.…”

Section: Interaction Of Cosmic Rays With Atmospherementioning

confidence: 99%

“…The peak particle intensity in Earth's atmosphere, the Pfotzer maximum, occurs at 15-26 km altitude, depending on latitude and solar activity level (Bazilevskaya et al, 2008). The Concorde used to fly at a cruise altitude of 18 km, well within this radiation peak, and civil aviation still operates typically at 10-12 km altitude.…”

Section: Venus Atmosphere Ionizationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Baumstark-Khan and Facius (2001) provided a very useful account of different sources of ionizing radiation, including radionuclide decay, and their biological effects, while Nelson (2003) focused on the cellular effects of CR strikes. Vainio et al (2009) summarized the dynamics of the particle radiation environment at Earth, whereas Bazilevskaya et al (2008) provided a more focused account of the ionization of Earth's atmosphere;and Bailer-Jones (2009) critically assessed claims that CR flux affects the terrestrial climate. Lammer et al (2009) offered a broad overview of the influences on planetary habitability, including that of CR.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Ionizing Radiation and Life

2011

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Ionizing radiation is a ubiquitous feature of the Cosmos, from exogenous cosmic rays (CR) to the intrinsic mineral radioactivity of a habitable world, and its influences on the emergence and persistence of life are wideranging and profound. Much attention has already been focused on the deleterious effects of ionizing radiation on organisms and the complex molecules of life, but ionizing radiation also performs many crucial functions in the generation of habitable planetary environments and the origins of life. This review surveys the role of CR and mineral radioactivity in star formation, generation of biogenic elements, and the synthesis of organic molecules and driving of prebiotic chemistry. Another major theme is the multiple layers of shielding of planetary surfaces from the flux of cosmic radiation and the various effects on a biosphere of violent but rare astrophysical events such as supernovae and gamma-ray bursts. The influences of CR can also be duplicitous, such as limiting the survival of surface life on Mars while potentially supporting a subsurface biosphere in the ocean of Europa. This review highlights the common thread that ionizing radiation forms between the disparate component disciplines of astrobiology.

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Section: Cosmic Ray Sourcesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Cosmic Ray Sourcesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Interaction Of Cosmic Rays With Atmospherementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Venus Atmosphere Ionizationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Ionizing Radiation and Life

2011

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Analysis of the ground level enhancement on 17 May 2012 using data from the global neutron monitor network

2014

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We have analyzed the data of the world neutron monitor network for the first ground level enhancement of solar cycle 24, the ground level enhancement (GLE) on 17 May 2012. A newly computed neutron monitor yield function and an inverse method are applied to estimate the energy spectrum, anisotropy axis direction, and pitch angle distribution of the high‐energy solar particles in interplanetary space. The method includes the determination of the asymptotic viewing cones of neutron monitor stations through computations of trajectories of cosmic rays in a model magnetosphere. The cosmic ray particle trajectories are determined with the GEANT‐based MAGNETOCOSMICS code using Tsyganenko 1989 and International Geomagnetic Reference Field models. Subsequent calculation of the neutron monitor responses with the model function is carried out, that represents an initial guess of the inverse problem. Derivation of the solar energetic particle characteristics is fulfilled by fitting the data of the global neutron monitor network using the Levenberg‐Marquardt method over the nine‐dimensional parameter space. The pitch angle distribution and rigidity spectrum of high‐energy protons are obtained as function of time in the course of the GLE. The angular distribution appears quite complicated. It comprises a focused beam along the interplanetary magnetic field line from the Sun and a loss‐cone feature around the opposite direction, possibly indicative of the particle transport in interplanetary magnetic field structures associated with previous coronal mass ejections.

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Model CRAC:EPII for atmospheric ionization due to precipitating electrons: Yield function and applications

2016

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A new model of the family of CRAC models, CRAC:EPII (Cosmic Ray Atmospheric Cascade: Electron Precipitation Induced Ionization), is presented. The model calculates atmospheric ionization induced by precipitating electrons and uses the formalism of ionization yield functions. The CRAC:EPII model is based on a full Monte Carlo simulation of electron propagation and interaction with the air molecules. It explicitly considers various physical processes, namely, pair production, Compton scattering, generation of bremsstrahlung high‐energy photons, photoionization, annihilation of positrons, and multiple scattering. The simulations were performed using GEANT 4 simulation tool PLANETOCOSMICS with NRLMSISE 00 atmospheric model. The CRAC:EPII model is applicable to the entire atmosphere. The results from the simulations are given as look‐up table representing the ionization yield function. The table allows one to compute ionization due to precipitating electrons for a given altitude and location considering a given electron spectrum. Application of the model for computation of ion production during electron precipitation events using spectra from balloon‐borne measurements is presented.

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Cosmic Ray Induced Ion Production in the Atmosphere

Cited by 65 publications

References 85 publications

Ionizing Radiation and Life

Ionizing Radiation and Life

Analysis of the ground level enhancement on 17 May 2012 using data from the global neutron monitor network

Model CRAC:EPII for atmospheric ionization due to precipitating electrons: Yield function and applications

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