International Journal of Astrophysics and Space Science

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Effect of Some Solar Energetic Events on Cosmic Ray (CR) Ground Level Enhancement (GLE)

Received: 6 May 2020    Accepted: 21 May 2020    Published: 16 June 2020
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Abstract

Ground Level Enhancements (GLEs) are sudden and short-lived increases in cosmic rays intensities registered by neutron monitors and usually associated with powerful solar explosive events. This work examines the key features of forty-nine (49) Ground level enhancement (GLE) events with a view to understanding the possible link to their solar sources. These constitute the 22nd -71st GLE as recorded by the Oulu Neutron monitor. We have computed the increase rates of the GLE and have compared them with the associated solar activity parameters. It is observed that GLEs are more associated with Solar flares than CMEs during the minimum and ascending phase of the 11 year solar cycle when compared with GLEs that occurred during the maximum phase of the solar cycle. In general, more GLE events were associated with solar flares originating from the Northern hemisphere of the solar disk as compared with the southern hemisphere flares. 80% of GLE with percentage increase rate (PIR) <10% were linked with strong flares. There was no/weak statistical association between intensity of solar energetic events (solar flares, CMEs, etc) and increase rate of GLE. The harder solar energetic fluxes seem to be responsible for GLEs with high PIR and that the softer fluxes may be responsible for those with low PIR. These results have important implications for our present understanding of potential solar drivers of the GLEs.

DOI 10.11648/j.ijass.20200801.11
Published in International Journal of Astrophysics and Space Science (Volume 8, Issue 1, March 2020)
Page(s) 1-10
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Cosmic Rays, Ground Level Enhancement, Solar Activity, Solar Flares

References
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Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Okpala Kingsley Chukwudi, Abejoye Sylvester Ajisafe, Tsor James. (2020). Effect of Some Solar Energetic Events on Cosmic Ray (CR) Ground Level Enhancement (GLE). International Journal of Astrophysics and Space Science, 8(1), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijass.20200801.11

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    ACS Style

    Okpala Kingsley Chukwudi; Abejoye Sylvester Ajisafe; Tsor James. Effect of Some Solar Energetic Events on Cosmic Ray (CR) Ground Level Enhancement (GLE). Int. J. Astrophys. Space Sci. 2020, 8(1), 1-10. doi: 10.11648/j.ijass.20200801.11

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    AMA Style

    Okpala Kingsley Chukwudi, Abejoye Sylvester Ajisafe, Tsor James. Effect of Some Solar Energetic Events on Cosmic Ray (CR) Ground Level Enhancement (GLE). Int J Astrophys Space Sci. 2020;8(1):1-10. doi: 10.11648/j.ijass.20200801.11

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ijass.20200801.11,
      author = {Okpala Kingsley Chukwudi and Abejoye Sylvester Ajisafe and Tsor James},
      title = {Effect of Some Solar Energetic Events on Cosmic Ray (CR) Ground Level Enhancement (GLE)},
      journal = {International Journal of Astrophysics and Space Science},
      volume = {8},
      number = {1},
      pages = {1-10},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ijass.20200801.11},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijass.20200801.11},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijass.20200801.11},
      abstract = {Ground Level Enhancements (GLEs) are sudden and short-lived increases in cosmic rays intensities registered by neutron monitors and usually associated with powerful solar explosive events. This work examines the key features of forty-nine (49) Ground level enhancement (GLE) events with a view to understanding the possible link to their solar sources. These constitute the 22nd -71st GLE as recorded by the Oulu Neutron monitor. We have computed the increase rates of the GLE and have compared them with the associated solar activity parameters. It is observed that GLEs are more associated with Solar flares than CMEs during the minimum and ascending phase of the 11 year solar cycle when compared with GLEs that occurred during the maximum phase of the solar cycle. In general, more GLE events were associated with solar flares originating from the Northern hemisphere of the solar disk as compared with the southern hemisphere flares. 80% of GLE with percentage increase rate (PIR) <10% were linked with strong flares. There was no/weak statistical association between intensity of solar energetic events (solar flares, CMEs, etc) and increase rate of GLE. The harder solar energetic fluxes seem to be responsible for GLEs with high PIR and that the softer fluxes may be responsible for those with low PIR. These results have important implications for our present understanding of potential solar drivers of the GLEs.},
     year = {2020}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Effect of Some Solar Energetic Events on Cosmic Ray (CR) Ground Level Enhancement (GLE)
    AU  - Okpala Kingsley Chukwudi
    AU  - Abejoye Sylvester Ajisafe
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    DO  - 10.11648/j.ijass.20200801.11
    T2  - International Journal of Astrophysics and Space Science
    JF  - International Journal of Astrophysics and Space Science
    JO  - International Journal of Astrophysics and Space Science
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    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijass.20200801.11
    AB  - Ground Level Enhancements (GLEs) are sudden and short-lived increases in cosmic rays intensities registered by neutron monitors and usually associated with powerful solar explosive events. This work examines the key features of forty-nine (49) Ground level enhancement (GLE) events with a view to understanding the possible link to their solar sources. These constitute the 22nd -71st GLE as recorded by the Oulu Neutron monitor. We have computed the increase rates of the GLE and have compared them with the associated solar activity parameters. It is observed that GLEs are more associated with Solar flares than CMEs during the minimum and ascending phase of the 11 year solar cycle when compared with GLEs that occurred during the maximum phase of the solar cycle. In general, more GLE events were associated with solar flares originating from the Northern hemisphere of the solar disk as compared with the southern hemisphere flares. 80% of GLE with percentage increase rate (PIR) <10% were linked with strong flares. There was no/weak statistical association between intensity of solar energetic events (solar flares, CMEs, etc) and increase rate of GLE. The harder solar energetic fluxes seem to be responsible for GLEs with high PIR and that the softer fluxes may be responsible for those with low PIR. These results have important implications for our present understanding of potential solar drivers of the GLEs.
    VL  - 8
    IS  - 1
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria

  • Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria

  • Department of Physics, Benue State University, Markudi, Nigeria

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