The Relationship of Cosmic Rays

to the Environment

Erwin O. FlückigerPhysikalisches Institut

University of Bern

erwin.flueckiger@space.unibe.ch

ECRS 2008 – Košice – 11 September 2008

Nuclear Interactions

* Particle Fluxes, Spectra

* Cosmogenic Isotopes

Ionisation

* Ionisation Rate* Ion Concentration* Global Electric Circuit - Commmunication - E-Fields, Lightnings, Thunderclouds - Air Conductivity - Hurricanes* Catalytic Reactions - Ozone - Nitrates * Weather and Climate - Mesosphere – lower Thermosphere Dynamics - Temperature - Rain - Lightning - CR and Clouds

Radiation Effects

Epidemic Flu

Genetic Mutations

CR as Diagnostic Tool

Review Papers

e.g.

Bazilevskaya, G.A, M.B. Krainev, and V.S. Makhmutov, Effects of cosmic rays on the Earth‘s environment, Journal of Atmospheric and Solar-Terrestrial Physics 62, 1577–1586, 2000

Stozhkov, Y.I., The role of cosmic rays in atmospheric processes, J. Phys. G: Nucl. Part Phys. 29, 913-923, 2003

Laurent Desorgher 4

Simulation of the Cascades in the AtmosherePLANETOCOSMICS GEANT4 Application

Interaction of cosmic rays with Planet Atmospheres and Soils

http://cosray.unibe.ch/~laurent/planetocosmics http://cosray.unibe.ch/~laurent/magnetocosmics

Atmospheric cascade initiated by a 1 GeV proton

Cosmic Rays in the Earth‘s Atmosphere

Neutrons are still a problem!

Cosmic Ray Contribution to Radiation Dose

Rule of Thumb ~ 5 μSv / hr

Radiation Exposure at Aircraft Altitude

LIULIN measurements of GLE 60 during PRG-JFK flight

Beck et al., 2006

The 13 December 2006 Solar Particle EventRadiation Exposure at Aircraft Altitude

Flückiger et al., ICRC 2007 Workshop

The 13 December 2006 Solar Particle EventRadiation Exposure at Aircraft Altitude

Flückiger et al., ICRC 2007 Workshop

Ion Production in the Earth‘s Atmosphere

Electromagnetic Radiation

UV & X-ray

GCRMagnetospheric

Particles

Radioactive Constituents Lightning

SCRGeomagnetic

Storms

At altitudes of ~3 to 35 km, cosmic rays are practically the only ionisation source

Ion Production and Ion Concentration

in the Earth‘s Atmosphere

Ion production rate q q = I ρ σ / M

where I = I (h, Rc, Φ) cosmic ray flux

ρ air density

σ effective ionisation cross section

2 x 10-18 cm2 at h ≤ 20 km

M average mass of air atom

Ion concentration n q = α n2 α 3D recombination coefficient

Stozhkov, 2003 q(h) = β(h) n(h)

β(h) linear recombination coefficient

Bazilevskaya et al., 2007

Ionization by GCR

Monthly averaged fluxes of ionizing particles in the atmosphere over Murmanskregion as measured by an omnidirectional Geiger counter

Ionization by GCR & SCR

Desorgher et al., AOGS 2004

Bern Model: http://cosray.unibe.ch/~laurent/planetocosmics

Global Electric Circuit

adapted from Stozhkov, 2003

Q ≈ - 600 000 C

E ≈ - 130 V/m

Ja ≈ 10-12 A m-2

Total atmospheric current ~ 1800 A

Troposphere

Stratosphere

ΔV ≈ 108 -109 V

The thunderclouds are the generators of the global electric circuit

quiet perturbed Atmosphere

Stozhkov, 2003

CR & Atmospheric Current

Yearly averages of atmospheric electric current J (Roble 1985) and cosmic ray flux I at h 20 km in the polar region

Stozhkov, 2003

Yearly number of lightning L detected in the USA in 1989-1998 (black points; Orville & Huffines, 1999) and ion production rate q in the air

column (h = 2 – 10 km) at middle latitudes (open points).

CR & Lightning

CR & Precipitation

Stozhkov, 2003

Changes in the daily precipitation level D [%], relative to the mean value during one month before (days -30 to -1) and one month after (days 1 to 30) the event

Left: Forbush decrease - Right: GLE

Fd GLE

Ozone, Nitrates and Temperature

Rohen et al., 2005

Scenario of large solar proton event

• energetic protons ionize major atmospheric constituents → transformation to intermediate water clusters → further clustering and dissociative recombination → production of H and OH („odd hydrogen“ ).

• NO is the result of dissociation of N2 and a series of recombination reactions

involving nitrogen and its ions.

• Enhanced production of „odd nitrogen“ (complex of nitrate radicals designated by the symbol NOy).

• Ozone destruction: 2 Cycles

HOx (H, OH, HO2) above 50 km

Ozone depletion through HOx follows the time profile of the ionization nearly

instantaneously

NOx (NO, NO2) below 50 km

NOx induced ozone depletion has a long time constant

• Temperature drop

Ozone Destruction

OH + O → H + O2 NO2 + O → NO + O2

H + O3 → OH + O2 NO + O3 → NO2 + O2

Net O + O3 → O2 + O2 O + O3 → O2 + O2

mainly above 50 km mainly below 50 km follows the time profile of the long time constant ionization nearly instantaneously

HNOHNO3 3 ((a good proxy for NOy): 15-31/01/200515-31/01/2005

Contours of averaged HNO3

(volume mixing ratio) values during the second part of January 2005). Selected location: ~ 75°-82°N.

The HNO3 increase can be

the result of:

- the OH and NO2 raise

during SEP events;

- through the reaction of water

cluster ions with NO3 .

ICRC 2007, Paper 1009, Storini & Damiani

Funke et al., Atmos. Chem. Phys. 8, 3805-3815, 2008

October / November 2003SCR Induced N2O Variations

Data from MIPAS instrument (limb emission Fourier transform spectrometer) onboard ENVISAT satellite:

Northern Polar Hemisphere (40°N - 90°N) distributions of N2O (in ppbv, parts per billion

by volume) for days from 26 October to 11 November 2003 at an altitude of 58 km. Nighttime data only. Contours are zonally smoothed within 700 km.

Funke et al., Atmos. Chem. Phys. 8, 3805-3815, 2008

October / November 2003SCR Induced N2O Variations

Time series of N2O abundance (in ppbv) after the solar proton events of October–November 2003 for the Northern Hemisphere polar cap (70°–90°N) during nighttime conditions. Left: MIPAS measurements. Right: Simulations by the Canadian Middle Atmosphere Model

SCR Induced OH, NO, and O3 VariationsModel Calculations for October 1989 at 70°N, 30°E

Ondrášková & Krivolutsky, J. Atm. & Solar-Terrestrial Physics 67, 211-218, 2005

Ionisationrate[cm-3s-1]

Midday OH changes [%]

Midday NO changes [%]

Midday O3 changes [%]

SCR & Sulfate/Nitrate Aerosol20 January 2005 GLE

Sites from the TOMS aerosol index data set

Evidence for an increase in the concentration of sulfate or nitrate aerosol on the second day after the GLE in the south magnetic pole region with the maximum penetration of solar cosmic rays.

Aerosol optical depth index (AI)

TOMS (Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer)

Mirinova et al., 2008

Ozone depletion rates above 60°N geomagnetic latitude (solid line), model results (stars) and GOES-11 15–40 MeV proton flux (blue points). The altitude is 54.4 km and the observation and model data are daily and zonally averaged. The reference period is 20–24 October, 2003.

SCR Induced Ozone Change

Rohen et al., JGR 110, A09S39, 2005

SCR Induced Ozone Change

Change of ozone concentration at 49 km altitude in the NH and SH in a global view. Changes are shown for different time periods in each hemisphere, respectively. The reference period is 20–24 October 2003. Evidently the ozone depletion is confined to the geographic and geomagnetic poles. Rohen et al., JGR 110, A09S39,

2005

Pancheva et al., J. Atm. & Solar-Terrestrial Physics 69, 1075-1094, 2007

October / November 2003

GOES-11

Andenes~ 90 km

ΔT > 25K

SCR Induced Temperature Change

GLE induced Nitrate in Ice CoresScenario according to CR community

Enhanced production of „odd nitrogen“ during large solar proton event

Some of the HNO3 is transported to the troposphere, where it is precipitated within short time (~ 1yr) downward to the surface

→ deposition in polar ice

Atmospheric chemists and physicist do not (yet) believe this last point!

However: Contemporary state-of-the-art measurements of the denitrification of the polar atmosphere find significant nitric acid trihydrate particles (called NAT

rocks) in the polar stratospheric clouds.

ICRC 2007, Paper 725, Kepko et al.

Observations of Impulsive Nitrate Enhancements Associated With Ground-Level Cosmic Ray Events 1-4 (1942-1949)

The Carrington Event Carrington [1860] and Hodgson [1860] independently observed a white light flare on September 1, 1859, which was accompanied by a large geomagnetic crochet.

omnidirectional fluence (>30 MeV): 18.8 x 109 cm-2

McCracken et al.,JGR,106(A10), 21’585–21’598, 2001

Identification of Super GLEs in Ice

70

Impulsive Nitrate Events (30 MeV Proton Fluence >2 x 109 cm-2)

between 1561–1950

McCracken et al., JGR 106(A10), 21’585–21’598, 2001

Different CommunitiesCosmic Rays

Cosmic Ray Detectors(ground based and in space)

Ionisation Models

- Oulu Model (Usoskin)- Bern Model (Desorgher)- Sofia Model (Velinov)- BOB2 Model (Kallenrode)- …..

Environmental ResearchAtmospheric Chemistry and Physics

Cutting edge sensors onboard satellites

- MIPAS (HNO3 NO2)- GOMOS (NO2)- HALOE (NH, NOx Ozone)- POAM - SAGE - OSIRIS- ….

Multi-Satellite Data Analysis

Atmospheric Models

WACCM3 Whole Atmosphere Community Climate ModelCMAM Canadian Middle Atmosphere ModelTIME-GCM Thermosphere Ionosphere Mesosphere Electrodynamic General Circulation Model GCM General Circulation Model and 3D chemical global transport-photochemical middle atmosphere model SLIMCATTransport and full chemistry, coupling between chemistry, transport and circulation …..

Дубна

Atmospheric front approaching Moscow region

26/06/05 08:22

Cosmic Rays as Diagnostic Tools

ICRC 2007, Paper 296, Timashkov et al.

Analysis of muon flux variations during the hurricane in Dubna (June 26, 2005)

ICRC 2007, Paper 296, Timashkov et al.

SummaryThe relations between galactic / solar cosmic rays and our environment are manifold:

• via nuclear reactions → Cosmic ray shower→ Radiation effects → Production of cosmogenic isotopes

• via ionisation → Global electric circuit→ Nitrate enhancement → Ozone depletion→ Temperature changes → ???

• via using CR as diagnostic tools

Cosmic ray community must become more active and bring in expertise

The environmental science community is working extensively on the effects of SPEs on atmospheric chemistry and physics, using state of the art satellite instruments and complex models

Inter- / Transdisciplinary Resarch