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Appraising the impact of space radiation on the terrestrial environment

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Abstract

The Near-Earth space environment is impacted by various radiation sources like galactic cosmic rays, solar storms, geomagnetic storms, etc. In the present paper, we have estimated the impact of space radiation observed during the last four cycles. We have observed that during solar cycle 24, there were fewer solar radiation storms than during its three preceding solar cycles. In terms of solar radiation storm strength, solar cycle 22 recorded a maximum intensity of S4 (severe radiation storm) of ~ 43000 pfu. In comparison, the maximum intensity of solar cycle 24 was ~ 6530 pfu (S3 type). We have concluded that the intensity of an X-class flare did not predict the intensity of the ensuing geomagnetic activity. The flares with less intensity in X-rays, e.g. M-class and C-class flares, can give rise to stronger radiation storms. Using the NOAA scales, we have compared the data of intense radiation storms with geomagnetic storms of higher intensity. This analysis has revealed that there were only 11 days during solar cycles 23 and 24 where the maximum solar radiation storm (solar particle event) coincided with a period of severe geomagnetic storming. On comparison of monthly neutron count (cosmic ray intensity) relative to the average of the last 20 years, we also deduced that the neutron count was 7.12% greater than usual during the most recent solar low, which was nearly as high as the last solar cycle lowest (8.20%). We have observed the lower probability rate of Solar Particle Events during the 3 or so years cantered on solar minimum, and the probability does not necessarily peak within a few years of solar maximum. The intensity of relativistic electrons observed by GOES in geostationary orbit was relatively low during periods of low geomagnetic activity and low solar wind speed, and the outer belt 2 MeV electrons flux appears to be highly associated with the Dst index.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are thankful to the organizations that have provided online solar and related data. Data for Solar Proton Events (SPEs) have been taken from the NOAA Space Environment Services Center: https://umbra.nascom.nasa.gov/SEP/. The coronal mass ejections and solar flares data have been taken from the website https://cdaw.gsfc.nasa.gov. Cosmic ray neutron count data have been adopted from the Cosmic Ray Station of the University of Oulu, Finland; https://cosmicrays.oulu.fi/. The Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) has provided the data-related graphs of X-ray flux related to solar flares. Data related to geomagnetic storm indices viz., Dst and Kp were taken from the World Data Center (http://wdc.kugi.kyoto-u.ac.jp/dstdir/). PS is thankful to the University Grants Commission (UGC), India, for financial support as JRF/SRF.

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  1. Department of Physics, University of Lucknow, Lucknow, 226007, India

    Priyank Srivastava, Soumya Yadav & Ashok Kumar Singh

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  1. Priyank Srivastava
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  2. Soumya Yadav
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  3. Ashok Kumar Singh
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Correspondence to Ashok Kumar Singh.

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Srivastava, P., Yadav, S. & Singh, A.K. Appraising the impact of space radiation on the terrestrial environment. Indian J Phys (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12648-024-03150-2

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