Cosmic ray impact on extrasolar earth-like planets in close-in habitable zones

Because of their different origins, cosmic rays can be subdivided into galactic cosmic rays and solar/stellar cosmic rays. The flux of cosmic rays to planetary surfaces is mainly determined by two planetary parameters: the atmospheric density and the strength of the internal magnetic moment. If a planet exhibits an extended magnetosphere, its surface will be protected from high-energy cosmic ray particles. We show that close-in extrasolar planets in the habitable zone of M stars are synchronously rotating with their host star because of the tidal interaction. For gravitationally locked planets the rotation period is equal to the orbital period, which is much longer than the rotation period expected for planets not subject to tidal locking. This results in a relatively small magnetic moment. We found that an Earth-like extrasolar planet, tidally locked in an orbit of 0.2 AU around an M star of 0.5 solar masses, has a rotation rate of 2% of that of the Earth. This results in a magnetic moment of less than 15% of the Earth's current magnetic moment. Therefore, close-in extrasolar planets seem not to be protected by extended Earth-like magnetospheres, and cosmic rays can reach almost the whole surface area of the upper atmosphere. Primary cosmic ray particles that interact with the atmosphere generate secondary energetic particles, a so-called cosmic ray shower. Some of the secondary particles can reach the surface of terrestrial planets when the surface pressure of the atmosphere is on the order of 1 bar or less. We propose that, depending on atmospheric pressure, biological systems on the surface of Earth-like extrasolar planets at close-in orbital distances can be strongly influenced by secondary cosmic rays.     

Cosmic-ray propagation through the disturbed heliosphere

The stationary, source-free, one-dimensional solution to the cosmic-ray heliospheric transport equation was solved using Runge–Kutta methods. These calculations have been applied to the treatment of Forbush decreases and the evolution of the solar cycle through the heliosphere. Forbush decreases calculated by this method produce spectra that are in good agreement with both the theoretical heliocentric potential and the potential as determined from neutron monitor data. During solar modulation, the effect of the travelling disturbance is to flatten the gradient of the cosmic ray flux in the inner heliosphere at solar minimum and steepen the gradient at solar maximum, as the incoming cosmic rays see solar activity up to a year earlier. The resulting spectra at the earth's orbit are in good agreement with the heliocentric approximation. The heliocentric approximation is an accurate and convenient method of accounting for solar modulation.     

Motion and transport of solar cosmic rays in heliospheric traps: The event on January 28–31, 2001

The results of studying the enhancement of solar cosmic ray fluxes on January 28?C31, 2001 in a wide energy range are presented using the ACE spacecraft data. A comparative analysis of temporal variations of the fluxes of charged particles and of the interplanetary medium parameters (interplanetary magnetic field and solar wind) has been performed on the basis of the ??reflection?? model of motion, accumulation, and modulation of cosmic rays. It is shown that a magnetic trap for solar cosmic rays was created by a plasma stream and flare ejection from an active region in the western part of the solar disk. Particles of low energies (<10 MeV) were captured inside the trap; the dispersion of distribution of particles with different energies inside the trap being determined by its complicated magnetic structure. The power-low dependence of the time of maximum for the flux of particles on their energy is found, and softer energy spectrum inside the trap is explained.     

Specific features of solar cosmic ray fluxes and geomagnetic conditions on December 5–18, 2006

Results of the analysis of specific features of solar activity, dynamics of solar cosmic ray fluxes, and state of the interplanetary medium are presented for the period December 5–18, 2006. The data analysis is based on new model concepts on coronal and interplanetary propagation of solar cosmic rays: partial capture into the magnetic field traps and oscillations at reflections from magnetic mirrors. Some new hypotheses about possible relations of the features of the interplanetary medium with processes in the Earth’s magnetosphere are put forward: the influence of the discrete interplanetary medium on processes in the Earth’s magnetosphere does exist always and, in this sense, it is a fundamental phenomenon; the discreteness of the inter-planetary medium can be one of the causes of geomagnetic substorms.     

Short-term variation of cosmic ray diurnal anisotropy and solar activity

A correlative analysis has been made between cosmic ray intensity and solar activity (sunspot numbers) during high amplitude days for the period 1991–1995. The high amplitude days with the time of maximum in the corotational/azimuthal direction do not indicate any significant correlation with solar activity. The diurnal amplitude significantly remains constant and high (0.5%) during the entire period. Our observations suggest that the direction of the anisotropy of high amplitude anisotropic wave train events contribute significantly to the short-term behavior of the cosmic ray diurnal anisotropy. The correlation coefficient is found to remain positive during solar activity maximum for all the high amplitude anisotropic wave train events.     

Characteristics of high energy cosmic ray diurnal anisotropy on day-to-day basis

Diurnal variation of cosmic ray intensity for the period of 1989 to 2000 at Kiel, Haleakakla, Rome, Hermanus, Calgary, and Goose Bay neutron monitors has been studied. Frequency histograms are generated for each year by using the daily values of amplitudes and phases. In the present analysis we have derived the yearly mean amplitude and phase of the diurnal variation of cosmic ray intensity. It has been concluded from the analysis that the diurnal amplitude is mostly concentrated in between the amplitude values of 0.1% and 0.4%, whereas the phase of diurnal anisotropy is concentrated in the belt of 100 to 225 degrees. As such, the various characteristics of long-term diurnal variation of cosmic ray intensity for the maxima of solar activity cycle 22 to the next maxima of solar activity cycle 23 have been studied. The minimum amplitudes are apparent for the minimum solar activity periods starting from 1995 and up to 1997 at Kiel, Haleakakla, Rome, Hermanus, Calgary and Goose Bay stations. The diurnal amplitude has been found to have almost recovered to its values observed during 1989 to 1990. It is also seen that the diurnal amplitudes are much larger by a factor of two at high/middle latitude stations as compared to that for low latitude stations, where the amplitudes are even ～01% or less during 1996. The phase is significantly earlier during 1996 and 1997 with some significant change starting in 1995. As such, competitive is a continuous decreasing trend in the diurnal phase with smaller change at high/middle latitude and significantly much larger change at low latitudes.     

影响GEO卫星长寿命高可靠的空间环境因素及其评估、验证和保障技术研究

文章叙述了空间环境与卫星长寿命高可靠的关系,着重分析了影响GEO卫星长寿命高可靠的各种空间环境效应,如:地磁亚暴电子造成的卫星表面带电及诱导的二次放电、辐射带高能电子引起卫星内带电、太阳耀斑质子和银河宇宙射线造成的单粒子效应、空间带电粒子和太阳电磁辐照造成的辐照总剂量效应以及空间环境下敏感表面的污染效应等.文章最后给出GEO卫星空间环境效应的评估、验证和保障技术研究的必要性及其主要研究方向.     

A Series of Proton Flares in July 1985 from Observations by the Prognoz-10 Satellite and Vega-1, 2 Spacecraft

The enhancements of solar protons with an energy of more than 30 MeV, originating from flares in one active region and observed simultaneously aboard three spacecraft Vega-1, 2 and Prognoz-10 in July 1985, are analyzed and approximated in this work by using the reflection model [2]. The numerical values of several physical parameters (the parameters of distribution of solar cosmic ray (SCR) particles inside heliosphere traps, the coefficients of trap transparency) that are not observed by direct measurements are estimated.     

Optimum conditions of observation of tubular-loop structures of the interplanetary magnetic field and estimation of their lifetime

Basic conditions of observation of IMF tubular-loop structures are considered on the basis of experimental data of studying the fluxes of solar cosmic ray protons in the interplanetary medium. Lifetime of these structures, when their sources disappear on the Sun, is estimated.     

The reflection model for propagation of solar cosmic rays

The principles of constructing the model are considered in this paper, together with the issues of its components and physical algorithm. The main emphasis is placed on the cause-and-effect relationships between the structure and dynamics of the solar and interplanetary media and the motion of solar cosmic ray particles. The specific features of the initial phase of motion of the particles after their acceleration in a solar flare are considered, as well as the subsequent phase of further particle propagation in the solar corona, and the phase of motion in the heliosphere. The processes of transport of charged particles in flare plasma ejections are considered in detail.     

Dynamics of Quasi-Biennal Variations of Cosmic Rays and Solar Activity

The quasi-biennial variations in the flux of galactic cosmic rays (GCRs) have been studied based on the data of stratospheric sensing and measurements by neutron monitors, as well as in various manifestations of solar activity and interplanetary medium parameters. It has been shown that quasi-biennial GCR variations are caused by variations with the same period in the mean magnetic field of the Sun that coincide with them over time and have been identified in the anti-phase, which respond to the sign of this field. The variations in the quasi-biennial cosmic ray are caused by quasi-biennial variations in the mean magnetic field of the Sun via the quasi-biennial variations in the interplanetary magnetic field.     

The Prospects of Direct Investigations of Cosmic Rays of Very High and Superhigh Energies

Basic lines of investigating cosmic ray particles with energies of 10¹²–10¹⁶ eV by direct methods are formulated. A particular variant of a universal instrument with spherically symmetric characteristics is considered. This instrument is capable of giving experimental solutions to basic problems intimately related to the main problem: the problem of the origin of cosmic rays.     

月球表面次级中子辐射环境仿真研究

由于缺少磁场和大气,宇宙线高能粒子轰击月壤可以形成月球特有的强中子辐射环境,并对航天员和电子设备造成潜在威胁。文章采用蒙特卡罗方法仿真研究宇宙线高能粒子辐射与月壤成分核反应产生的次级中子能谱特征,给出不同太阳活动、不同月壤深度下月球中子能谱特征和空间分布特征。仿真结果表明,宇宙线高能粒子导致的次级中子随着月壤深度的增加先增大后减小,大约在1 m深度达到最大值,深度越深银河宇宙线诱发的中子贡献越大。相关结果可为我国后续载人月球探测任务的辐射防护设计提供参考。     

Galactic cosmic rays and parameters of the interplanetary medium near solar activity minima

The time behavior of intensity of cosmic rays with relatively low (~1–6 GeV) and high (>10 GeV) energies are considered together with characteristics influencing the modulation of cosmic rays in the heliosphere. The periods under study are close to solar activity minima in cycles 21/22, 22/23, and 23/24. Diffusion and convection in small-scale magnetic fields of the heliosphere are demonstrated to play some role only at sufficiently weak disturbances of the field (B/δB > 1.3). In this case, a negative correlation is observed between B/δB and a tilt of the surface of the heliospheric current sheet. The analysis of characteristics of the interplanetary medium in periods of solar activity minima shows that the energy anomaly of cosmic rays in the minimum of cycles 23/24 is caused by deficit of high energy particles rather than by an excess of particles of relatively small energies.     

行星际空间环境对探测器可靠性影响分析

空间环境是影响航天器可靠性的重要因素。与地球轨道航天器相比,行星际探测任务可能会遭受更加恶劣的空间环境,例如极端温度环境,辐射环境,腐蚀性大气环境、宇宙尘等,再加上行星际任务寿命长,采用先进的器件和材料,空间环境对行星际探测器的可靠性构成严重的威胁,直接关系到探测目标能否实现。因此考虑空间环境对行星际探测器的影响,开展相关的预先研究无论是对于制定行星际空间探测计划,还是搭载仪器的设计都具有非常重要的意义。文章分析了极端温度、辐射环境和行星表面综合环境对探测器的影响,并对开展相关研究提出了建议。     

Exchange of meteorites (and life?) between stellar systems

It is now generally accepted that meteorite-size fragments of rock can be ejected from planetary bodies. Numerical studies of the orbital evolution of such planetary ejecta are consistent with the observed cosmic ray exposure times and infall rates of these meteorites. All of these numerical studies agree that a substantial fraction (up to one-third) of the ejecta from any planet in our Solar System is eventually thrown out of the Solar System during encounters with the giant planets Jupiter and Saturn. In this paper I examine the probability that such interstellar meteorites might be captured into a distant solar system and fall onto a terrestrial planet in that system within a given interval of time. The overall conclusion is that it is very unlikely that even a single meteorite originating on a terrestrial planet in our solar system has fallen onto a terrestrial planet in another stellar system, over the entire period of our Solar System's existence. Although viable microorganisms may be readily exchanged between planets in our solar system through the interplanetary transfer of meteoritic material, it seems that the origin of life on Earth must be sought within the confines of the Solar System, not abroad in the galaxy.     

Energy measurements of electrons and protons in cosmic ray physics using satellite and balloon calorimeters in recent two decades

Calorimeters are used in cosmic ray studies for a variety of purposes, such as measurements of particle energy, separation of electrons and hadrons, formation of triggers (signals for activation of instruments), and so on. In this review we consider the methods of energy reconstruct of protons and electrons (for particles with energies exceeding 10 GeV) in calorimeters of various types that are used in astrophysical experiments of cosmic ray studies carried out with balloons and satellites.     

近地轨道宇宙线的强度分布

本文主要讨论了在近地空间能够引发微电子系统故障的宇宙线带电粒子环境问题，参照国外辕为成熟的模式和我们最新的工作，对近地轨道的宇宙线强度进行了计算，并就模式的应用和存在的问题进行了讨论。     

An exploration of the effectiveness of artificial mini-magnetospheres as a potential solar storm shelter for long term human space missions

If mankind is to explore the solar system beyond the confines of our Earth and Moon the problem of radiation protection must be addressed. Galactic cosmic rays and highly variable energetic solar particles are an ever-present hazard in interplanetary space.     

Detection of ultrahigh-energy cosmic rays and neutrinos by radio method using artificial lunar satellites

An estimate of the feasibility of the ultrahigh-energy cosmic ray and neutrino detection using a lunar satellite-borne radio receiver is presented. The data obtained in the proposed experiment will make resolving the current contradictions in the ultrahigh-energy cosmic ray spectra measured with the major ground-based instruments possible. Moreover, they will enable us to considerably extend the accessible energy range and to check predictions of various models of the origin of the highest-energy particles in the Universe. At the same time the lunar radio detector provides a means of searching for ultrahigh-energy neutrinos with a high sensitivity combined with a very large target effective mass.