The role of cosmic rays in the atmospheric processes

Abstract

The energy flux of galactic cosmic rays falling on the earth's atmosphere is small in comparison with solar electromagnetic irradiation (by 108 times). But at altitudes of h ∼ 3 to 35 km in the atmosphere, cosmic rays are the only ionization source (from the ground level up to h ∼ 3 km, natural radioactivity is an additional source of ionization). Solar activity modulates cosmic ray flux. The cosmic rays produce atmospheric ions that define the electrical properties of the atmosphere. The electric charges play a very important role in the processes of cloud and thundercloud formation in the operation of the global electric circuit. The changes in electric properties of the atmosphere influence weather and climate. Thus, we have the following chain of the solar terrestrial relationship: solar activity—cosmic ray modulation—changes in the global electric properties of the atmosphere—changes in weather and climate. The following questions are discussed in this paper: light ion production in the atmosphere, role of electric charges in the formation of clouds and thunderclouds, experimental evidences of the relationships between cosmic ray flux and atmospheric current and lightning.

Cosmic rays and space weather: effects on global climate change

“…During big solar CR events, when CR intensity and ionization in the atmosphere significantly increases, an inverse situation is expected and the increase in cloudiness leads to an increase in rainfall. Studies of Stozhkov et al (1995aStozhkov et al ( , b, 1996, and Stozhkov (2002) involving 53 events of solar CR enhancements, between 1942-1993, showed a positive increase of about 13 % in the total rainfall over the former USSR.…”

Solar Activity, Space Weather and the Earth’s Climate

“…Therefore the diffusion-convection effects cause the 11-year variation of www.intechopen.com GCR intensity. The flux of cosmic ray particles with energy E=0.1-15 GeV during solar minimum is twice as large as during maximum phase (Stozhkov, 2003). c. The drift modulation of GCR is caused mainly by changes of the polarity of the solar magnetic field.…”

Possibilities for selected space weather and atmospheric studies in JEM-EUSO project?

“…Brief increases of dose at aircraft due to lightning discharge or a TGF event are estimated in [8]. Papers [42,43] discuss (among other subjects) the experimental evidences of the relationships between CR flux and atmospheric current and lightning. Review of TGF studies is e.g.…”