The effect of cosmic rays on biological systems – an investigation during GLE events

Abstract

In this study, first direct and circumstantial evidences of the effects of cosmic rays (CR) on biological systems are presented. A direct evidence of biological effects of CR is demonstrated in experiments with three cellular lines growing in culture during three events of Ground Level Enhancement (GLEs) in the neutron count rate detected by ground-based neutron monitor in October 1989. Various phenomena associated with DNA lesion on the cellular level demonstrate coherent dynamics of radiation effects in all cellular lines coincident with the time of arrival of high-energy solar particles to the near-Earth space and with the main peak in GLE. These results were obtained in the course of six separate experiments, with partial overlapping of the time of previous and subsequent experiments, which started and finished in the quiet period of solar activity (SA). A significant difference between the values of multinuclear cells in all cellular lines in the quiet period and during GLE events indicates that the cause of radiation effects in the cell cultures is an exposure of cells to the secondary solar CR near the Earth's surface. The circumstantial evidence was obtained by statistical analysis of cases of congenital malformations (CM) at two sites in the Murmansk region. The number of cases of all classes of CM reveals a significant correlation with the number of GLE events. The number of cases of CM with pronounced chromosomal abnormalities clearly correlates with the GLE events that occurred a year before the birth of a child. We have found a significant correlation between modulations of the water properties and daily background variations of CR intensity. We believe that the effects of CR on biological systems can be also mediated by fluctuations in water properties, considered as one of possible mechanisms controlling the effects of CRs on biological systems

A link between solar events and congenital malformations: Is ionizing radiation enough to explain it?

“…The works of Belisheva et al [] and Juckett [] find correlations between cosmic ray flux and CMs. These correlations suggest that a very small increase in ionizing radiation dose could increase the CM rate of a population.…”

“…Figure displays the spectra of the largest fluence events for which spectra exist. One of these events (October 1989) has also been linked to malformations in bacteria cultures in the work of Belisheva et al []. The work of Belisheva et al [] also finds a correlation between congenital malformations (CM) and the GLEs of this time period.…”

“…One of these events (October 1989) has also been linked to malformations in bacteria cultures in the work of Belisheva et al []. The work of Belisheva et al [] also finds a correlation between congenital malformations (CM) and the GLEs of this time period. After convolving the spectrum of Tylka and Dietrich [] through the lookup tables of Overholt et al [], we find them to agree with the ground‐based neutron measurements of Belisheva et al [] to within statistical uncertainty.…”

Galactic cosmic rays on extrasolar Earth-like planets

“…This expectation is backed up by experimental evidence, which shows that during Ground Level Enhancements (extreme events where large numbers of secondary cosmic rays reach the Earth's surface) DNA lesions on the cellular level increase considerably (Belisheva et al 2005;Grießmeier et al 2005;Belisheva et al 2006Belisheva et al , 2012Dartnell 2011, and references therein). In the case of Earth, muons contribute 75% of the equivalent dose rate at the surface (O'Brien et al 1996).…”

The Carrington Solar Flares of 1859: Consequences on Life

“…A large body of Russian literature, especially at high latitudes show correlations between magnetic activity and human heart rate variations. Studies on the relation between these observations and public health continue (Belisheva et al, 2011, Chernouss et al, 2001). …”