Cosmic Ray Observations in McMurdo

该提案寻求资金，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年预测的下一个太阳活动最大期。麦克默多的中子监测器是“地球飞船”阵列的一个关键组成部分，该阵列是一个12站的多国中子监测器网络，用于测量相对论太阳宇宙射线的角分布。麦克默多站是世界上所有中子监测站中观测方向最靠南的一个，因此它提供了一个关于全球阵列测量的宇宙射线分布的关键三维透视图。从麦克默多和其他“地球飞船”站返回的数据将使人们能够进一步了解太阳高能粒子的加速和传输，以及太阳对银河宇宙射线的瞬时和长期调制。从历史上的发生率来看，麦克默多在太阳活动最大期的持续观测将允许探测新的相对论性太阳粒子事件。中子监测器可在预测和确定太阳风扰动方面发挥直接作用，从而提高为社会利益预测重大空间气象事件的能力。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.