Cosmic Ray Observations in McMurdo

这项提案寻求资金，以继续在麦克默多进行至少4年的中子监测观测--直到2011-12年预测的下一次太阳活动最大值。麦克默多的中子监测器是“宇宙飞船地球”阵列的重要组成部分。“宇宙飞船地球”阵列是一个由12个站组成的多国中子监测器网络，专门用来测量相对论太阳宇宙射线的角分布。麦克默多拥有世界上最南端的中子监测站，从而为全球阵列测量的宇宙线分布提供了关键的三维透视。麦克默多和其他“宇宙飞船地球”站返回的数据将使人们能够更深入地了解太阳高能粒子的加速和运输，以及太阳对银河系宇宙射线的瞬时和长期调制。从历史上的出现率来看，通过太阳活动最大值继续进行麦克默多观测将允许探测到新的相对论太阳粒子事件。中子监测仪可以在预测和确定太阳风扰动方面发挥直接作用，从而提高预测重大空间天气事件的能力，从而造福于社会。例如，提供宇宙射线地面增强(GLE)警报与高纬度地区的航空飞行直接相关，因为这些事件可能会对健康造成危害。

This proposal seeks funding to continue the neutron monitor observations at McMurdo for at least 4 years of operation - through the next solar activity maximum predicted in 2011-12. The neutron monitor in McMurdo is a crucial element of the "Spaceship Earth" array - a 12-station multi-national network of neutron monitors optimized to measure the angular distribution of relativistic solar cosmic rays. McMurdo has the southernmost viewing direction of any neutron monitor station in the World, thereby providing a critical three-dimensional perspective on the cosmic ray distribution measured by the global array. Data returned from McMurdo and other "Spaceship Earth" stations will enable the advanced understanding of the acceleration and transport of solar energetic particles, and of the transient and long-term modulation of galactic cosmic rays by the Sun. From the historical occurrence rates, continuing McMurdo observations through the solar activity maximum would allow to detect new relativistic solar particle events. Neutron monitors can play a direct role in forecasting and specifying solar wind disturbances, thus improving the capability to forecast major space weather events for the societal benefit. For example, providing the cosmic rays Ground-Level Enhancement (GLE) alerts is of direct relevance to aviation flights over high latitudes where these events can pose health hazards.