大气中宇宙射线绝对电离量的测量

宇宙射线是环境中天然辐射的主要组成部分,来自银河系的初级宇宙线,进入大气层以后,由于产生一系列的级联过程以及大气对宇宙线的吸收作用,使得宇宙射线粒子的组成、强度以及能谱沿大气层的高度不断变化,同时由于受到地磁场的强烈影响以及11年太阳活动周期的调制,使不同纬度上不同年份的这种高度分布亦不相同。     

雷暴电场对宇宙线次级粒子中电子的影响

雷暴期间宇宙线次级粒子强度变化与大气电场的关联研究,对分析大气电场加速宇宙线次级带电粒子的机制具有重要意义.采用Monte Carlo方法,模拟研究了雷暴电场对宇宙线次级粒子中电子强度的影响.结果显示,在强度为1000V·cm~(-1)的雷暴电场中,高海拔处电子数目呈指数增长,在大气深度约300g·cm~(-2)处达到极大值,与以往研究提出的相对论电子逃逸雪崩机制相符.模拟结果表明,在地面宇宙线观测实验中,要想得到明显的观测效应,雷暴电场距离探测面的高度应600 m,电场厚度应达到约2000 m.模拟结果为分析雷暴电场与地面宇宙线次级粒子中电子强度的关联性提供了重要参考,为进一步模拟研究雷暴期间高山地面宇宙线强度的变化提供了重要信息.     

雷暴期间次级宇宙线粒子强度瞬时变化研究

雷暴期间大气电场强度变化及其伴随的宇宙线粒子增长的研究, 对于理解大气电场对宇宙线次级粒子的加速机制具有极其重要的意义. 2006年4月至 8月期间, 西藏羊八井宇宙线观测站记录到了20多次雷暴事件. 分析了雷暴期间, ARGO实验scaler模式下次级宇宙线计数与大气电场之间的相关性. 结果显示, 雷暴期间大气电场剧烈变化时, 多重数n=1, 2的次级宇宙线计数率有明显增长, 增幅在1%～9%之间, 然而n=3, n≥ 4的次级宇宙线计数率增长不明显, 甚至没有增长. 该结果为进一步研究雷暴期间大气电场对次级宇宙线的加速机制打下了基础.      

临近空间大气中子诱发电子器件单粒子翻转模拟研究

根据重离子试验数据, 采用长方体(RPP)模型, 用GEANT4软件工具包编程, 建立了垂直于器件表面入射的中子诱发电子器件的单粒子翻转模型. 考虑敏感体积及其附近的次级粒子对单粒子翻转的贡献, 统计了次级粒子在敏感体积内沉积能量的微分能谱分布, 对在敏感体积内沉积不同能量的次级粒子对单粒子翻转的贡献进行了区分计算, 模拟计算结果与地面试验结果符合较好.      

太阳宇宙线在电离层D层中的电离

本文根据带电粒子对D层大气电离的理论,导出了太阳宇宙线在D层的电子产生率Q(h)的表达式,并计算了不同级别的太阳宇宙线事件、不同能谱参数下,Q(h)在极区随高度的分布。结果表明,不同级别、不同能谱的太阳宇宙线事件在极区产生的电离有显著的差别。同一级别,能谱指数γ越大,在较高的高度上电子产生率越大;能谱指数越小,在较低的高度上电子产生率越大。电子产生率的分布曲线出现明显的双峰,一个峰位于60公里左右,另一个峰位于85公里左右。前一个峰主要由太阳宇宙线中质子产生的,后一个峰主要是z≥2的重粒子成分产生的。本文所得结果明显好于Velinov等人的结果。      

银河宇宙线在电离层D层中电离的全球分布

本文从带电粒子对D层大气电离出发, 给出了宇宙线相对论粒子、非相对论粒子及低能粒子在地球大气中的电离公式, 从而给出了宇宙线在电离层D层中电子产生率q(h)和电子密度N(h)的全球分布.结果表明, 宇宙线产生的q(h)和N(h)具有明显的纬度效应, 在极区产生的q(h)和N(h)要比低纬高得多, 当截止刚度R_c=10—18GV时, q(h)的变化相差很小.太阳活动11年调制对q(h)的影响是明显的, 但远小于R_c对q(h)的影响.大气密度ρ(h)对q(h)的影响主要是随高度的变化.      

由大气密度的季变化所造成的中、低层大气电离率的季变化

本文对CIRA 1972 模式下的中、低层大气密度季变化所造成的电离率的季变化作了理论计算, 利用宇宙线电离源函数对全球中、低层大气的电离率作了数值计算.计算结果表明, 在70km以下的大气电离率的季变化幅度为百分之几十.在电离峰值高度(约15km)以下幅度为约百分之十, 高度越高变幅越大, 到70km处达35%.在20km以上电离率的季变化趋势与大气密度的季变化趋势大致相同, 夏季比冬季大, 20km以下变化稍为复杂.      

由电离层电位所建立的大气电状态

本文在已知电离层电位分布下, 解析地计算了大气电位, 电场和电流强度的全球分布.结果表明, 在大气导电率随高度呈指数增加的情况下, 100km高度上的电离层电位, 几乎无衰减地扫到25km以下.大气电场较强的区域主要在20km以下的低层大气区, 其垂直分量比水平分量大4个数量级.而中高层大气电场较弱, 且两分量量级相当.本文还提出了一种考虑地面形状对大气电场影响的解析方法.      

TIMED卫星探测的全球大气温度分布及其与经验模式的比较

利用TIMED卫星遥感探测的全球温度分布与NRLMSISE-00大气经验模式进行了对比研究.研究表明,在中间层下部以下的高度范围内,经验模式与卫星探测的大气温度分布有很好的一致性.但是比较发现,在中层顶区域,经验模式的计算结果与实测结果有较大的差异.卫星探测表明,在春分季节的低纬地区中层顶区存在稳定的逆温层,但是经验模式不能给出低纬地区春分季节中间层逆温层的分布特征.卫星观测表明在全球范围内中层顶有两个非常不同的高度,一个处于100km附近,另一个处于85km附近,但是经验模式不能给出这一中层顶高度的分布特征.同时在低热层,经验模式计算的温度分布与卫星遥感的探测结果有很大的差异.      

雷暴电场对LHAASO探测面宇宙线次级粒子能量的影响

采用Monte Carlo方法，通过模拟研究了不同强度雷暴电场对LHAASO探测面宇宙线次级电子能量的影响.在电场作用下，电子的能量分布发生了变化.在低能段总电子数目增加明显，而在高能段电场的影响不明显.当电场强度为1700V·cm-1（大于逃逸电场）时，能量<120MeV的电子被加速，能量<60MeV的总电子数目呈指数增长（增幅高达约2252%），雷暴电场对次级粒子的加速机制与相对论电子逃逸雪崩机制（RREA）相符.当电场强度为1000V·cm-1（小于逃逸电场）时，能量<70MeV的电子被加速，其数目明显增加，但是增幅（约86%）远小于逃逸电场时的幅度.对电场强度小于逃逸电场时的雷暴电场加速宇宙线次级粒子的物理机制进行了讨论.研究结果可为理解LHAASO实验数据特点以及研究雷暴期间宇宙线强度的变化等提供参考.      

质子地磁垂直截止刚度在2004年11月7-8日两个时刻处的数值模拟

利用单粒子轨道理论, 在T04和IGRF2000磁场模式建立的磁层模型基础上, 应用四阶龙格库塔方法, 模拟计算宇宙线带电质子在地球磁层中的运动以及沿天顶方向入射到达地球磁场内的某一特定位置, 得到了距地球表面450km高度处全球质子垂直截止刚度在2004年11月7-8日中两个时刻的计算值. 根据计算得到的684个不同位置处的截止刚度值, 分析了同一时刻地磁垂直截止刚度随磁纬和磁经的变化. 与此同时, 模拟计算了相同时刻下磁纬为30°, 磁经为0°, 45°, 90°, 135°, 180°, 225°, 270°, 315°处, 地磁有效垂直截止刚度随高度的变化情况. 结果表明, 在磁纬30°处, 其质子有效垂直截止刚度随距离地心高度的变化沿向阳处向磁尾处方向, 变化越来越缓慢.      

On transmissivity of low energy cosmic rays in disturbed magnetosphere

Access of low energy cosmic rays to any position on the Earth depends on the state of the magnetosphere. Anisotropy of cosmic rays, deduced from the neutron monitor network, must assume the variable transmissivity of the magnetosphere especially during the geomagnetic disturbances. We illustrate that computations based on different available models of geomagnetic field during selected strong geomagnetic disturbances in 2003 and 2004 imply different profiles of cut-off rigidities in time, different transmissivity functions and different asymptotic directions. Using of cosmic ray records by neutron monitors at middle and low latitudes during geomagnetically active periods, in addition to cosmic ray anisotropy in interplanetary space deduced from high and low energy cosmic ray ground based measurements, may be used for checking validity of geomagnetic field models.     

Recent results form measurements of the energy spectrum of cosmic-ray induced neutrons aboard an ER-2 airplane and on the ground.

Crews of future high-altitude commercial aircraft may be significantly exposed to atmospheric cosmic radiation from galactic cosmic rays (GCR). To help determine such exposures, the Atmospheric Ionizing Radiation Project, an international collaboration of 15 laboratories, made simultaneous radiation measurements with 14 instruments on a NASA ER-2 high-altitude aircraft. The primary instrument was a sensitive extended-energy multisphere neutron spectrometer, which was also used to make measurements on the ground. Its detector responses were calculated for neutrons and charged hadrons at energies up to 100 GeV using the radiation transport code MCNPX. We have now recalculated the detector responses including the effects of the airplane structure. We are also using new FLUKA calculations of GCR-induced hadron spectra in the atmosphere to correct for spectrometer counts produced by charged hadrons. Neutron spectra are unfolded from the corrected measured count rates using the MAXED code. Results for the measured cosmic-ray neutron spectrum (thermal to >10 GeV), total neutron fluence rate, and neutron dose equivalent and effective dose rates, and their dependence on altitude and geomagnetic cutoff generally agree well with results from recent calculations of GCR-induced neutron spectra.     

Variations in cosmic ray cutoff rigidities during the great geomagnetic storm of November 2004

A very strong interplanetary and magnetospheric disturbance observed on 7–13 November 2004 can be regarded as one of the strongest events during the entire period of space observations. In this paper we report on the studies of cosmic ray cutoff rigidity variations during 7–13 November 2004 showing how storm conditions can affect the direct cosmic ray access to the inner magnetosphere. Effective cutoff rigidities have been calculated for selected points on the ground by tracing trajectories of cosmic ray particles through the magnetospheric magnetic field of the “storm-oriented” Tsyganenko 2003 model. Cutoff rigidity variations have also been determined by the spectrographic global survey method on the basis of experimental data of the neutron monitor network. Relations between the calculated and experimental cutoff rigidities and the geomagnetic Dst-index and interplanetary parameters have been investigated. Correlation coefficients between the cutoff rigidities obtained by the trajectory tracing method and the spectrographic global survey method have been found to be in the limits 0.76–0.89 for all stations except the low-latitude station Tokyo (0.35). The most pronounced correlation has been revealed between the cutoff rigidities that exhibited a very large variation of ∼1–1.5 GV during the magnetic storm and the Dst index.     

由环电流的宇宙线效应验证二维对称环电流模型

本文利用不同纬度超中子堆记录的宇宙线强度, 对不同磁暴类型下环电流的宇宙线效应进行了分析。加强的西向环电流使宇宙线截止刚度下降, 在某些特大的磁暴中, 中低纬字宙线截止刚度下降可达1GV以上, 从而使宇宙线强度增加。利用二维对称环电流模式, 从宇宙线的角度计算了环电流的磁暴效应。与实际观测值的对比显示, 除非特大的磁暴过程, 利用该模式所得结果与实际观测符合得较好。      

Calculations and observations of solar particle enhancements to the radiation environment at aircraft altitudes.

Solar particle events can give greatly enhanced radiation at aircraft altitudes, but are both difficult to predict and to calculate retrospectively. This enhanced radiation can give significant dose to aircrew and greatly increase the rate of single event effects in avionics. Validation of calculations is required but only very few events have been measured in flight. The CREAM detector on Concorde detected the event of 29 September 1989 and also four periods of enhancement during the events of 19-24 October 1989. Instantaneous rates were enhanced by up to a factor ten compared with quiet-time cosmic rays, while flight-averages were enhanced by up to a factor six. Calculations are described for increases in radiation at aircraft altitudes using solar particle spectra in conjunction with Monte Carlo radiation transport codes. In order to obtain solar particle spectra with sufficient accuracy over the required energy range it is necessary to combine space data with measurements from a wide range of geomagnetically dispersed, ground-level neutron monitors. Such spectra have been obtained for 29 September 1989 and 24 October 1989 and these are used to calculate enhancements that are compared with the data from CREAM on Concorde. The effect of cut-off rigidity suppression by geomagnetic activity is shown to be significant. For the largest event on record on 23 February 1956, there are no space data but there are data from a number of ground-level cosmic-ray detectors. Predictions for all events show very steep dependencies on both latitude and altitude. At high latitude and altitude (17 km) calculated increases with respect to cosmic rays are a factor 70 and 500 respectively for 29 September 1989 and 23 February 1956. The levels of radiation for high latitude, subsonic routes are calculated, using London to Los Angeles as an example, and can exceed 1 mSv, which is significantly higher than for Concorde routes from Europe to New York. The sensitivity of the calculations to spectral fitting, geomagnetic activity and other assumptions demonstrates the requirement for widespread carriage of radiation monitors on aircraft.     

Cosmic ray exposure factors for Shuttle altitudes derived from calculated cut-off rigidities.

The allowed cosmic radiation flux accessible to an earth-orbiting spacecraft is a complex function of the satellite position and the geomagnetic cutoff characteristics at each zenith and azimuth angle at each position. We have determined cosmic ray exposure factors for the galactic cosmic ray spectrum for typical shuttle altitudes and inclinations up to 50 degrees. We have utilized d world grid of trajectory-derived cutoff rigidity calculations at 400 km altitude to determine geomagnetic transmission functions that permit a simple and direct calculation of the allowed cosmic ray spectrum to a 400 km satellite orbit. If the interplanetary cosmic ray spectrum is multiplied by the orbit-averaged geomagnetic transmission function the result is the allowed cosmic ray spectrum at the spacecraft.     

Eccentric dipole approximation of the geomagnetic field: Application to cosmic ray computations

A comparison of the full IGRF model of the geomagnetic field with two simplified models, the truncated IGRF and the eccentric dipole model, is performed. The simplified models were found to provide a reasonable approximation for the large scale geomagnetic field distribution. In the application of the simplified geomagnetic models to the shielding of cosmic rays in the magnetosphere as quantified via the geomagnetic cut-off rigidity, the eccentric dipole and the truncated IGRF provide a good large scale view. The use of the simplified model does not introduce any additional systematic errors at the global scale but may be a source of moderate uncertainty at the regional scale in the tropical Atlantic region. This study quantitatively validates the use of such simplified geomagnetic models when describing the shielding of cosmic rays in the magnetosphere.     

Variations of Thermosphere Density Based on Joint Analysis of In-Situ Measurement Data From Shenzhou Spacecrafts

Based on the measurements made by Atmospheric Density Detectors (ADDs) onboard Chinese spacecraft Shenzhou 2-4, the variations of thermosphere density are revealed. During the quiet period, the density at spacecraft altitude of 330～410km exhibited a dominant diurnal variation, with high value on dayside and low value on nightside. The ratio of the diurnal maximum density to the minimum ranged from 1.7 to 2.0. The ratio shows a positive correlation with the level of solar activity and a negative correlation with the level of geomagnetic activity. When a geomagnetic disturbance comes, the atmospheric density at the altitude of 330～410km displayed a global enhancement. For a strong geomagnetic disturbance, the atmospheric density increased by about 56%, and reached its maximum about 6～7 hours after the geomagnetic disturbance peak. The density asymmetry was also observed both in the southern and northern hemisphere during the geomagnetic disturbance peak.