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Ann. Geophys., 26, 361-370, 2008
www.ann-geophys.net/26/361/2008/
© European Geosciences Union 2008
Solar particle effects on minor components of the Polar atmosphere
A. Damiani1,2, M. Storini2, M. Laurenza2, and C. Rafanelli1
1ICES – International Center for Earth Sciences c/o CNR Istituto di Acustica "O.M. Corbino" – Area di Ricerca Roma-Tor Vergata, Via del Fosso del Cavaliere, 100–00133 Roma, Italy
2Istituto di Fisica dello Spazio Interplanetario – INAF – Area di Ricerca Roma-Tor Vergata, Via del Fosso del Cavaliere, 100–00133 Roma, Italy
Abstract. Solar activity can influence the Earth's environment, and in particular the
ozone layer, by direct modulation of the e.m. radiation or through
variability of the incoming cosmic ray flux (solar and galactic particles).
In particular, solar energetic particles (SEPs) provide additional external
energy to the terrestrial environment; they are able to interact with the
minor constituents of the atmospheric layer and produce ionizations,
dissociations, dissociative ionizations and excitations. This paper
highlights the SEP effects on the chemistry of the upper atmosphere by analysing
some SEP events recorded during 2005 in the descending phase of the current
solar cycle.
It is shown that these events can lead to short- (hours) and medium- (days) term
ozone variations through catalytic cycles (e.g. HOx and NOx
increases).
We focus attention on the relationship between ozone and OH data (retrieved
from MLS EOS AURA) for four SEP events: 17 and 20 January, 15 May and 8
September. We confirm that SEP effects are different on the night and day
hemispheres at high latitudes.
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