THE VARIATION OF SEA LEVEL COSMIC RAY INTENSITY BETWEEN 1954 AND 1957

Abstract

Results from neutron monitors and meson telescopes at Ottawa (geomagnetic latitude 57° N.) and Resolute (geomagnetic latitude 83° N.) are presented for the years 1954–57, a period of increasing solar activity. The results indicate that the sea level meson intensity at these latitudes decreased by 5–6% between April 1954 and December 1957. During the same period the intensity of the nucleonic component at these stations decreased by over 22%. Investigation of the relative response of the two types of recorder to transient decreases during this period indicates that the long term change in the intensity level cannot be explained completely as an accumulation of shorter transient decreases, which become more frequent at times of high solar activity. It is concluded that the transient decreases are superimposed upon the longer term changes, each being produced by a separate modulation process but ultimately controlled by the general level of solar activity. Significant differences are found in the shape of transient decreases observed at the Canadian stations, both between different components at the one station and the same component at different stations. These may be interpreted as due to a varying energy dependence from one transient decrease to another, and to anisotropy in the primary cosmic radiation at these times.