Abstract
Recent studies of the solar-terrestrial environment for the past 500 years have necessitated the use of a variety of historical databases: nitrates in ice cores, knowledge of large volcanic eruptions, sunspot numbers, mid-latitude aurora and geomagnetic records. The nitrate data are being used to identify large solar proton fluence events. The volcanic record helps to provide time markers for the ice core. The records of major geomagnetic storms and mid-latitude aurora have been used for additional identification. We also know that the Earth’s magnetic field is evolving with a present rapid decrease in magnitude. In addition the wandering magnetic pole must be considered in ascertaining what was “mid latitude” in historic times versus “mid latitude” in 2000. We illustrate how these databases are being used in recent studies of historic solar proton events.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Akasofu, S.-I. and Chapman, S.: 1972, Solar-Terrestrial Physics, Oxford University Press, London, Chapter 2.
Allen, J. H.: 1982, Proceedings of a Workshop on Satellite Drag, NOAA Environ. Res. Lab, Space Environ. Cent. Boulder, Colorado, USA, p. 114.
Barraclough, D. R.: 1978, Spherical Harmonic Models of the Geomagnetic Field, Geomagnetic Bulletin 8, Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, London.
Beer, J., Blinov, A., Bonani, G., Finkel, R. C., Hofmann, H. J., Lehmann, B., Oeschger, H., Sigg, A., Schwander, J., Staffelbach, T., Stauffer, B., Suter, M., and Wolfi, W.: 1990, Nature 347, 164.
Bromwich, D. H., Chen, Q.-S., Li, Y., and Cullather, R. I.: 1999, J. Geophys. Res. 104, 22,103.
Carrington, R. C.: 1860, Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 20, 13.
Cliver, E. W., Feynman, J., and Garrett, H. B.: 1990a, in R. J. Thompson et al. (eds.), Solar-Terrestrial Predictions: Proceedings of a Workshop at Leura, Australia, vol. 1, U.S. Department of Commerce, NOAA, ERL, Boulder, Colorado, USA, p. 348.
Cliver, E. W., Feynman, J., and Garrett, H. B.: 1990b, J. Geophys. Res. 95, 17, 103.
Dreschhoff, G. A. M., and Zeller, E. J.: 1990, Solar Phys. 127, 333.
Dreschhoff, G. A. M., and Zeller, E. J.: 1994, Inst. Tertiary-Quat. Stud., TER QAU Symp. Ser. 2, 1.
Dreschhoff, G. A. M., Zeller, E. J., Shea, M. A., and Smart, D. F.: 1993, 23rd International Cosmic Ray Conference, Contributed Papers, vol. 3, p. 842.
Fraser-Smith, A. C.: 1987, Rev. Geophys. 25, 1.
Friis-Christensen, E., and Svensmark, H.: 1997, Adv. Space Res. 20, 913.
Heckman, G., Marubashi, K., Shea, M. A., Smart, D. F., and Thompson, R. (eds.): 1997, Solar-Terrestrial Predictions – V, RWC Tokyo, Hiraiso Solar Terrestrial Research Center, Communications Research Laboratory, Hitachinaka, Ibaraki, Japan.
Hodgson, R.: 1860, Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 20, 15.
Hruska, J., Shea, M. A., Smart, D. F., and Heckman, G. (eds.): 1993, Solar-Terrestrial Predictions – IV, (3 Volumes) U.S. Department of Commerce, NOAA, ERL, Boulder, Colorado, USA.
Jackman, C. H., Fleming, E. L., and Vitt, F. M.: 2000, J. Geophys. Res. 105, 11,659.
Křivský, L. and Pejml, K.: 1988, Solar Activity, Aurorae and Climate in Central Europe During the Last 1000 Years, Publ. 75, Astron. Inst. of the Czech Acad. Sci., Ondřejov.
Kristjánsson, J. E., Kristiansen, J., and Kaas, E., 2004: Adv. Space Res. 34, 407.
McCracken, K. G., Dreschhoff, G. A. M., Zeller, E. J., Smart, D. F., and Shea, M. A.: 2001a, J. Geophys. Res. 106, 21, 585.
McCracken, K. G., Dreschhoff, G. A. M., Smart, D. F., and Shea, M. A.: 2001b, J Geophys. Res. 106, 21, 599.
Merrill, R. T., McElhinny, M. W. and McFadden, P. L.: 1996, The Magnetic Field of the Earth: Paleomagnetism, the Core and the Deep Mantle, Academic Press, San Diego, CA.
National Geophysical Data Center: 2004, www.ngdc.noaa.gov/stp/GEOMAG/aastar.shtml.
National Space Sciences Data Center: 2004, http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/space/auroral/auroral.html.
Nevanlinna, H. and Kataja, E.: 1993, Geophys. Res. Lett. 20, 2703.
Nevanlinna, H., Ketola, A., Häkkinen, L., Viljanen, A., and Ivory, K.: 1993, Geophys. Res. Lett. 20, 743.
Olsen, N., Sabaka, T. J., and Tøffner-Clausen, L.: 2000, Earth Planets Space 52, 1175.
Royal Greenwich Observatory: 1955, Sunspot and Geomagnetic Storm Data Derived from the Greenwich Observations, 1874–1954, Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, Norwich, England.
Shea, M. A. and Smart, D. F.: 1990, Solar Phys. 127, 297.
Shea, M. A. and Smart, D. F.: 1994, Adv. Space Res. 14(10), 631.
Shea, M. A. and Smart, D. F.: 1996, Adv. Space Res. 17(4/5), 225.
Shea, M. A. and Smart, D. F.: 1998, Adv. Space Res. 22, 29.
Shea, M. A. and Smart, D. F.: 2004, Adv. Space Res. 34, 420.
Shea, M. A., Smart, D. F. and Dreschhoff, G. A. M.: 1999, Radiation Measurements 30, 309.
Smart, D. F. and Shea, M. A.: 2003, Adv. Space Res. 31, 45.
Svensmark, H.: 2000, Space Sci. Rev. 93, 161.
Svensmark, H. and Friis-Christensen, E.: 1997, J. Atmos. Solar-Terr. Phys. 59, 1225.
Švestka, Z. and Simon, P. (eds.): 1975, Catalog of Solar Particle Events 1955–1969, Vol. 49, Astrophysics and Space Science Library, D. Reidel Publishing Co., Dordrecht, Holland.
Thompson, R. J., Cole, D. G., Wilkinson, P. J., Shea, M. A., Smart, D. and Heckman, G. (eds.): 1990, Solar-Terrestrial Predictions, Proceedings of a Workshop at Leura, Australia (2 Volumes) U.S. Department of Commerce, NOAA, ERL, Boulder, Colorado, USA.
Yau, K. K. C., Stephenson, F. R., and D. M. Willis, A Catalogue of Auroral Observations from China, Korea and Japan, RAL-TR-95-073, CLRC, Oxfordshire, UK.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Shea, M.A., Smart, D.F. The Use of Geophysical Data in Studies of the Historical Solar-Terrestrial Environment. Sol Phys 224, 483–493 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11207-005-4138-z
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11207-005-4138-z