Observations of anomalous peaks in atmospheric ionizing radiation below 10 km

IF 2.8 3区地球科学 Q2 ASTRONOMY & ASTROPHYSICS

Advances in Space Research Pub Date : 2025-03-10 DOI:10.1016/j.asr.2025.03.015

K. Demirhan , D. Mrdja , T. Hegedüs , S. Forkapic , J. Hansman , D. Velimirovic , J. Knezevic Radic , M. Cujic

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Scientists have performed different kind of measurements with various experimental setups for more than 100 years in order to explore in detail the atmospheric ionizing radiation (AIR) profile. The common feature of all previous AIR measurements is the presence of continuous intensity increase of ionizing components along the atmospheric vertical profiles up to the well-known Regener-Pfotzer (RP) maximum appearing between 16–25 km altitudes.

In this study, measured vertical ionization profile showed a peaking in ionizing radiation intensity in the atmosphere registered below 10 km altitude, exceeding more than 20 times the values at these heights from previous measurements by meteorological balloons (or in any other way lifted detectors into the atmosphere). We confirmed these findings by three independent measurements performed by detectors equipped with ultra-thin mica windows. The registered peaking in ionizing radiation intensity was observed at altitude ranging from 5-8 km, in a very narrow altitude region (∼300 m). Furthermore, Monte Carlo simulations of propagation of cosmic rays through the atmosphere were performed, searching for possible increase in number of detected events at certain altitudes (10 km, 8 km, and 5 km) due to air-shower developments. Unlike our experimental results, the simulation results did not show an enhance in the number of cosmic ray-produced secondary particles at certain altitudes (5 km or 8 km) relative to the 10 km altitude.

A form of anomaly in atmospheric ionizing radiation field at lower altitudes has been seen in ARMAS (Automated Radiation Measurements for Aerospace Safety) data and measurements performed by the National University Corporation, Fukushima University.

The presented results in this study will have broad impact on the better understanding of the ionizing radiation production mechanism in the atmosphere, as well as on its dose consequences.

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10公里以下大气电离辐射异常峰的观测

100多年来，科学家们通过各种实验装置进行了不同类型的测量，以详细探索大气电离辐射（AIR）剖面。以往所有AIR测量的共同特征是电离成分在大气垂直剖面上的持续强度增加，直到在16-25公里高度之间出现著名的regen - pfotzer （RP）最大值。在这项研究中，测量的垂直电离剖面显示，在海拔10公里以下的大气中，电离辐射强度达到峰值，超过以前气象气球（或以任何其他方式将探测器送入大气）在这些高度测量的值的20倍以上。我们通过配备超薄云母窗的探测器进行了三次独立测量，证实了这些发现。记录到的电离辐射强度峰值出现在海拔5-8公里范围内的一个非常窄的海拔区域（~ 300米）。此外，还进行了宇宙射线在大气中传播的蒙特卡罗模拟，寻找在某些高度（10公里、8公里和5公里）由于气阵雨的发展而可能增加的探测事件数量。与我们的实验结果不同，模拟结果没有显示在特定高度（5公里或8公里）产生的宇宙射线次级粒子的数量相对于10公里高度有所增加。在ARMAS（航空航天安全自动辐射测量）数据和福岛大学国立大学公司进行的测量中，发现了低空大气电离辐射场的一种异常形式。本研究提出的结果将对更好地了解大气中电离辐射的产生机制及其剂量后果产生广泛影响。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Advances in Space Research 地学天文-地球科学综合

CiteScore

5.20

自引率

11.50%

发文量

800

审稿时长

5.8 months

期刊介绍： The COSPAR publication Advances in Space Research (ASR) is an open journal covering all areas of space research including: space studies of the Earth''s surface, meteorology, climate, the Earth-Moon system, planets and small bodies of the solar system, upper atmospheres, ionospheres and magnetospheres of the Earth and planets including reference atmospheres, space plasmas in the solar system, astrophysics from space, materials sciences in space, fundamental physics in space, space debris, space weather, Earth observations of space phenomena, etc. NB: Please note that manuscripts related to life sciences as related to space are no more accepted for submission to Advances in Space Research. Such manuscripts should now be submitted to the new COSPAR Journal Life Sciences in Space Research (LSSR). All submissions are reviewed by two scientists in the field. COSPAR is an interdisciplinary scientific organization concerned with the progress of space research on an international scale. Operating under the rules of ICSU, COSPAR ignores political considerations and considers all questions solely from the scientific viewpoint.