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Detection of Lower Tropospheric Responses to Solar Energetic Particles at Midlatitudes

K. A. Nicoll and R. G. Harrison
Phys. Rev. Lett. 112, 225001 – Published 2 June 2014
Physics logo See Synopsis: Unexpected Impact from Medium-Sized Solar Flare
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Abstract

Solar energetic particles (SEPs) occasionally contribute additional atmospheric ionization beyond that arising from the usual galactic cosmic ray background. During an SEP event associated with a solar flare on April 11, 2013, the vertical ionization rate profile obtained using a balloon-borne detector showed enhanced ionization with a 26% increase at 20 km, over Reading, United Kingdom. Fluctuations in atmospheric electrical parameters were also detected at the surface, beneath the balloon’s trajectory. As no coincident changes in geomagnetism occurred, the electrical fluctuations are very likely to be associated with increased ionization, as observed by the balloon measurements. The lack of response of surface neutron monitors during this event indicates that energetic particles that are not detected at the surface by neutron monitors can nevertheless enter and influence the atmosphere’s weather-generating regions.

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  • Received 1 October 2013

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.112.225001

This article is available under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License. Further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the published article’s title, journal citation, and DOI.

© 2014 Published by American Physical Society

Synopsis

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Unexpected Impact from Medium-Sized Solar Flare

Published 2 June 2014

Balloon observations of atmospheric ionization during a relatively weak solar flare suggest that particles from the Sun have a larger-than-expected influence on our atmosphere.

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Authors & Affiliations

K. A. Nicoll and R. G. Harrison

  • Department of Meteorology, University of Reading, P.O. Box 243, Reading, Berkshire RG6 6BB, United Kingdom

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Issue

Vol. 112, Iss. 22 — 6 June 2014

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