Abstract
IT is usually supposed that the world-wide changes in cosmic ray intensity associated with a magnetic storm are due to variations in the earth's magnetic field produced during the storm. This seems to be excluded, however, by recent observations by Lange and Forbush1, who have found that the intensity varies (decreases and increases) even at Godhavn, which is situated at so high a geomagnetic latitude (80°) that the earth's magnetic field cannot possibly affect the intensity. Further, the variations cannot be due to changes in the solar magnetic field, because they are observed even at Huancayo, which has a low geomagnetic latitude (0.6°) so that it is reached only by the high-energy particles which are certainly not influenced by the solar magnetic field. Then the only possible explanation seems to be that the variations in cosmic radiation are due to changes in the earth's electrostatic potential.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Lange and Forbush, Terr. Mag., 47, 331 (1942).
Alfvén, H., Kungl. Svenska Vet. Akad., Handlingar III, Bd. 18, No. 3 (1939); No. 9 (1940).
Malmfors, K. G., Arkiv. För mat. astr. fysik., Bd. 34, B, No. 1 (1946).
Alfvén, H., Z. Phys., 107, 579 (1937); Nature, 143, 435 (1939).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
ALFVÉN, H. Changes in Cosmic Ray Intensity Associated with Magnetic Storms. Nature 158, 618–619 (1946). https://doi.org/10.1038/158618b0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/158618b0
This article is cited by
-
Observation of cosmic ray decreases at the pole
Il Nuovo Cimento (1958)
-
Cosmic ray time variations produced by deceleration in interplanetary space
Il Nuovo Cimento (1958)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.
