Flicker-noise spectroscopy of the muon flux during heliospheric disturbances

Abstract

Flicker-noise spectroscopy (FNS) is used to identify high energy phenomena on the Sun and in the heliosphere. Such processes as the generation of solar cosmic rays (SCRs) or the eruption and propagation of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) in the heliosphere result in short-lived flux variations in both primary cosmic rays and secondary atmospheric muons. Flare and modulation effects at high energies are barely noticeable and are in most cases hidden in the statistical noise of the muon flux at ground level. Generalized FNS allows us to identify such processes. The identification of GLE event #70 is given as an example; this event of ground level enhancement (GLE) was recorded by the URAGAN muon hodoscope and a number of neutron monitors with high geomagnetic cutoffs. The developed technique can be used to analyze a wide range of different helio- and geophysical processes.