Solar Flare and Solar Interplanetary Phenomena Investigated with High Energy Charged Particles

这笔拨款将支持位于科罗拉多州Climax和夏威夷Haleakala的两个中子监测器的研究和持续运行。该研究将研究内日球层三维电动力学过程的物理学，特别强调日地区域。例如，PI的中子监测器发现，当尤利西斯号宇宙飞船飞向太阳极地地区时，这种26天的周期性调制持续出现在极高纬度地区，超出了磁场和等离子体结构的范围（以前认为是控制这些变化的）。中子监测器继续对这些相同的变化进行测量，这意味着周期性调制的机制必须是一个全球性的、大规模的现象，延伸到整个内日球层。这一机制将在今后几年内实行。此外，PI拥有运行时间最长的中子监测记录，覆盖了两个以上的太阳磁周期。这将使进一步探索梯度漂移在调制到达大气层顶部的银河宇宙射线中的作用成为可能。PI将在下一次太阳极小期继续对宇宙射线调制的双峰特征进行长期研究。最后，PI将继续支持和升级两个中子监测器。

This grant will support both research and continued operations of two neutron monitors at Climax, Colorado and Haleakala, Hawaii. The research will investigate the physics of the electrodynamical processes in three dimensions in the inner heliosphere, with special emphasis on the solar-terrestrial region. For instance, the PI's neutron monitors have discovered that as the Ulysses spacecraft travels towards the Sun's polar regions, the recurrent 26-day modulation continues to be seen to extremely high latitudes, beyond the extent of the magnetic field and plasma structures (previously thought to control these variations). The neutron monitors continued their measurements of these same variations, implying the mechanism for recurrent modulation must be a global, large-scale phenomenon, extending throughout the inner heliosphere. This mechanism will be pursued over the next few years. Further, the PI has the longest running neutron monitor records, covering more than two solar magnetic cycles. This will enable further exploration of the role of gradient drifts in the modulation of galactic cosmic rays, which reach the top of the atmosphere. The PI will continue long-term studies of the apparent bimodal character of cosmic ray modulation through the next solar minimum. Finally, the PI will continue support and upgrade of the two neutron monitors.