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At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2016

TRANSIENT GALACTIC COSMIC-RAY MODULATION DURING SOLAR CYCLE 24: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF TWO PROMINENT FORBUSH DECREASE EVENTS

Forbush decrease (FD) events are of great interest for transient galactic cosmic-ray (GCR) modulation study. In this study, we perform comparative analysis of two prominent Forbush events during cycle 24, occurring on 2012 March 8 (Event 1) and 2015 June 22 (Event 2), utilizing the measurements from the worldwide neutron monitor (NM) network. Despite their comparable magnitudes, the two Forbush events are distinctly different in terms of evolving GCR energy spectrum and energy dependence of the recovery time. The recovery time of Event 1 is strongly dependent on the median energy, compared to the nearly constant recovery time of Event 2 over the studied energy range. Additionally, while the evolutions of the energy spectra during the two FD events exhibit similar variation patterns, the spectrum of Event 2 is significantly harder, especially at the time of deepest depression. These difference are essentially related to their associated solar wind disturbances. Event 1 is associated with a complicated shock-associated interplanetary coronal mass ejection (ICME) disturbance with large radial extent, probably formed by the merging of multiple shocks and transient flows, and which delivered a glancing blow to Earth. Conversely, Event 2 is accompanied by a relatively simple halo ICME with small radial extent that hit Earth more head-on.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2017

The Presence of Turbulent and Ordered Local Structure within the ICME Shock-sheath and Its Contribution to Forbush Decrease

The transient interplanetary disturbances evoke short-time cosmic-ray flux decrease, which is known as Forbush decrease. The traditional model and understanding of Forbush decrease suggest that the sub-structure of an interplanetary counterpart of coronal mass ejection (ICME) independently contributes to cosmic-ray flux decrease. These sub-structures, shock-sheath, and magnetic cloud (MC) manifest as classical two-step Forbush decrease. The recent work by Raghav et al. has shown multi-step decreases and recoveries within the shock-sheath. However, this cannot be explained by the ideal shock-sheath barrier model. Furthermore, they suggested that local structures within the ICME’s sub-structure (MC and shock-sheath) could explain this deviation of the FD profile from the classical FD. Therefore, the present study attempts to investigate the cause of multi-step cosmic-ray flux decrease and respective recovery within the shock-sheath in detail. A 3D-hodogram method is utilized to obtain more details regarding the local structures within the shock-sheath. This method unambiguously suggests the formation of small-scale local structures within the ICME (shock-sheath and even in MC). Moreover, the method could differentiate the turbulent and ordered interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) regions within the sub-structures of ICME. The study explicitly suggests that the turbulent and ordered IMF regions within the shock-sheath do influence cosmic-ray variations differently.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS1992

A quantitative assessment of the role of the post-shock turbulent region in the formation of Forbush decreases

We present results of a survey of the relation between Forbush decreases, magnetic clouds, and interplanetary shocks during the period August 1978 to November 1982. We have used data from the ISEE-3 study of bidirectional ions associated with magnetic structures or clouds of Marsden et al. (1987), and ground-based observations of Forbush decreases from several neutron monitors. We use the two-step model of a Forbush decrease. We assume that the first step is due to the passage of the postshock turbulent region, and that the second is due to the passage of the magnetic cloud or structure which usually follows the postshock turbulent region. To determine the effectiveness of the postshock turbulent region in causing a Forbush decrease, we have evaluated the radial diffusion coefficient of the postshock turbulent region for the eight largest events during the above period using observations of the magnetic field. We have made a quantitative assessment of the relative importance of the postshock turbulent region in the formation of the Forbush decrease, concluding that the postshock turbulent region alone is not sufficient to cause a Forbush decrease.

Sanderson, T. R.↗
NASA NTRS1975

The Forbush decrease of November 17, 1966

The Forbush decrease of November 17, 1966, takes place in two steps, a predecrease is followed by the main decrease. SSCs are observed on both occasions. The decrease is modest, short-lived, and is preceded and followed by an exceptionally steady level of the cosmic ray intensity. Preliminary results from a phenomenological study are presented. The observed changes in the cosmic ray intensity are correlated with interplanetary magnetic field direction at the onset of the predecrease and during part of the recovery phase. A simple explanation is given for the fact that the predecrease is not observed at the stations in the European-zone. It appears that a preferential recovery takes place from some directions in space, during the recovery phase of the Forbush decrease. Off-ecliptic scattering of lower energy cosmic rays is probably responsible for this. The same phenomena is probably also responsible for the difference between the amplitudes of the predecrease observed at different stations.

Ahluwalia, H. S.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Shock drift mechanism for Forbush decreases

Consideration is given to the way in which Forbush decreases can arise from variable drifts in nonuniform shocks, where the variation in shock strength along the shock front causes both the shock drift distance and the energy gain to become variable. More particles can then be transported out of a given region of space and energy interval than were transported in, so a spacecraft passing through this region can observe a Forbush decrease in this energy interval despite shock energization and compression. A simple example of how this can occur is presented.

Cheng, Andrew F.↗
DOE OSTI2016

RELATIVE CONTRIBUTION OF THE MAGNETIC FIELD BARRIER AND SOLAR WIND SPEED IN ICME-ASSOCIATED FORBUSH DECREASES

We study 50 cosmic-ray Forbush decreases (FDs) from the Oulu neutron monitor data during 1997–2005 that were associated with Earth-directed interplanetary coronal mass ejections (ICMEs). Such events are generally thought to arise due to the shielding of cosmic rays by a propagating diffusive barrier. The main processes at work are the diffusion of cosmic rays across the large-scale magnetic fields carried by the ICME and their advection by the solar wind. In an attempt to better understand the relative importance of these effects, we analyze the relationship between the FD profiles and those of the interplanetary magnetic field (B) and the solar wind speed (V {sub sw}). Over the entire duration of a given FD, we find that the FD profile is generally (anti)correlated with the B and V {sub sw} profiles. This trend holds separately for the FD main and recovery phases too. For the recovery phases, however, the FD profile is highly anti-correlated with the V {sub sw} profile, but not with the B profile. While the total duration of the FD profile is similar to that of the V {sub sw} profile, it is significantly longer than that of the B profile. Using the convection–diffusion model, a significant contribution of advection by solar wind is found during the recovery phases of the FD.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS1992

Propagation of a large Forbush decrease in cosmic-ray intensity past the earth, Pioneer 11 at 34 AU and Pioneer 10 at 53 AU

Observations of a large Forbush decrease in cosmic-ray intensity at the earth, Pioneer II and Pioneer 10 are reported. The Pioneer 10 data show a large impulsive decrease in cosmic-ray intensity at the greatest distance from the sun observed to date. The apparent radial speed of propagation of the Forbush decrease was about 820 km/s, independent of the radial distance. The observations reported here and similar previous observations provide the basis for a new quantitative model of the propagation of Forbush decreases in the outer heliosphere.

Van Allen, James A.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Forbush decreases and particle acceleration in the outer heliosphere

Consideration is given to Pioneer 10 and 11 observations of the solar flares that occurred during the period March 6-19, 1989. The observations shown that Forbush decreases propagate with an essentially constant magnitude to 47 AU and with similar magnitude at widely different ecliptic longitudes. The times of recovery from Forbush decreases become progressively greater as the radial distance increases. A scheme is proposed to explain this behavior, giving support to the hypothesis that the solar cycle modulation of the galactic cosmic ray intensity is attributable primarily to overlapping Forbush decreases that are more frequenct and of greater magnitude near times of maximum solar activity.

Van Allen, J. A.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Propagation of a Forbush decrease in cosmic ray intensity to 15.9 AU

By observation of the large Forbush decrease in cosmic-ray intensity of April-May 1978 at heliocentric radial distances of 1.01, 6.97, and 15.91 AU, it is found that the causative magnetized plasma cloud moved outward from the sun at an apparent radial speed of about 960 km/s, independent of radial distance over this range. Recovery from the impulsive decrease in intensity was markedly slower at the larger distances. On the basis of this fact and other considerations, several tentative suggestions are made as to the large-scale nature of Forbush decreases and their relationship to the 11-year solar modulation of galactic cosmic-ray intensity.

Van Allen, J. A.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Pioneer and Voyager observations of Forbush decreases between 6 and 24 AU

A detailed phenomenological description of deep space Forbush decreases is given, using Voyager and Pioneer data. The transient reduction in cosmic ray intensity can be produced by (1) reflection at the shock front; (2) increased modulation associated with the disturbed region behind the shock; (3) a barrier mechanism involving large-scale tangential discontinuities; or (4) particle drifts in the enhanced magnetic field by the post-shock region. The presence of a well-defined precursor peak clearly indicates that particle reflection is important. Forbush decreases appear to be an important component in the long-term modulation.

Mcdonald, F. B.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Change in the eleven-year modulation at the time of the June 8, 1969, Forbush decrease.

The functional form of the modulation for the 11-year variation changed abruptly after the Forbush decrease of June 8, 1969. This change in the 11-year modulation suggests that this Forbush decrease was an integral part of the 11-year variation. Some details of the change as observed by neutron monitors and by spacecraft at low energies are discussed.

Lockwood, J. A.↗
NASA NTRS1969

Flares, Forbush decreases, and geomagnetic storms.

Geomagnetic storms and Forbush decreases accounted for by interplanetary solar corpuscular streams effects described by interplanetary magnetic field structure, noting independence of flares

Ballif, J. R.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Solar-flare-induced Forbush decreases - Dependence on shock wave geometry

It is argued that the principal mechanism for the association of Forbush decreases with the passage of a solar flare shock wave is prolonged containment of cosmic ray particles behind the flare compression region, which acts as a semipermeable obstacle to particle motion along the field lines, leading to additional adiabatic cooling of the particles. Liouville's theorem is used to calculate the instantaneous distribution function at 1 AU for each particle arriving at the earth. By averaging over a large number of individual estimates, a representative estimate of the omnidirectional phase space density and the corresponding particle intensity is obtained. The energy change of individual particles at the shocks is found to be small in comparison to the energy lost by adiabatic cooling of the cosmic rays between the shock wave and the sun. The effects of particle rigidity, diffusion coefficient, and flare longitude on the magnitude of the Forbush decrease are quantitatively investigated.

Thomas, B. T.↗