Everything about Forbush Decrease totally explained
A
Forbush decrease is a rapid decrease in the observed
galactic cosmic ray intensity following a
coronal mass ejection (CME). It occurs due to the
magnetic field of the
plasma solar wind sweeping some of the galactic cosmic rays away from Earth.
Observation
The Forbush decrease is usually observable by
particle detectors on Earth within a few days after the CME, and the decrease takes place over the course of a few hours. Over the following several days, the solar cosmic ray intensity returns to normal. Forbush decreases have also been observed by humans on
Mir and the
International Space Station, and by instruments onboard
Pioneer 10 and
11 and
Voyager 1 and
2, even past the orbit of Neptune.
The magnitude of a Forbush decrease depends on three factors:
- the size of the CME
- the strength of the magnetic fields in the CME
- the proximity of the CME to the Earth
A Forbush decrease is sometimes defined as being a decrease of at least 10% of galactic cosmic rays on Earth, but ranges from about 3% to 20%. Reductions of 30% or more have been recorded aboard the ISS.
The overall rate of Forbush decreases tends to follow the 11-year
sunspot cycle. Because it's more difficult to shield astronauts from galactic cosmic rays than from solar wind, it's hypothesized that future astronauts might benefit most from radiation shielding during
solar maxima, when CMEs are most prevalent.
History
The term
Forbush decrease was named after the American physicist
Scott E. Forbush, who studied cosmic rays in the 1930s and 1940s.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Forbush Decrease'.
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