The Use of Geophysical Data in Studies of the Historical Solar-Terrestrial Environment

• Main Authors: Shea, M. A., Smart, D. F.
• Other Authors: AIR FORCE RESEARCH LAB HANSCOM AFB MA SPACE VEHICLES DIRECTORATE
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 2004
• Subjects: Astrophysics; Meteorology; Geomagnetism; *GEOMAGNETISM; *HISTORY; *GEOPHYSICS; *CLIMATE; *POLAR CAP; *MAGNETIC STORMS; *EARTH ATMOSPHERE; *SOLAR ACTIVITY; DATA BASES; REPRINTS; VOLCANOES; ICELAND; COSMIC RAYS; GREENLAND; NITRATES; ANTARCTIC REGIONS; ELECTROMAGNETIC INTERFERENCE; SULFATES; AURORAE; MAGNETIC FIELDS; CORES; ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVITY; WEATHER FORECASTING; *SOLAR PROTON EVENTS; *GEOMAGNETIC STORMS; POLAR ICE; *ICE CORE ANALYSIS; NITRATE CONCENTRATIONS; NITRATE ENHANCEMENTS; ICE CORE DATING; GISP-H ICE CORE; VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS; LOW LATITUDE AURORAE; GEOMAGNETIC FIELD; CUTOFF RIGIDITY VALUES; SPACE WEATHER FORECASTING; TIME PERIODS; PE61102F; UWAFRL2311RDA1; Antarctic; Greenland; Antarc*; GISP; ice core; Iceland
• Online Access: http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA443513; http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA443513

Recent studies of the solar-terrestrial environment for the past 500 years have necessitated the use of a variety of historical databases: nitrates in ice cores, knowledge of large volcanic eruptions, sunspot numbers, mid-latitude aurora, and geomagnetic records. The nitrate data are being used to identify large solar proton fluence events. The volcanic records help to provide time markers for the ice core. The records of major geomagnetic storms and mid-latitude aurora have been used for additional identification. It also is known that the Earth's magnetic field is evolving with a present rapid decrease in magnitude. In addition, the wandering magnetic pole must be considered in ascertaining what was "mid latitude" in historic times versus "mid latitude" in 2000. The authors illustrate how these databases are being used in recent studies of historic solar proton events. Sections are as follows: solar proton events in polar ice, volcano records for ice core dating, geomagnetic and auroral data, and geomagnetic field data. Pub. in Solar Physics, v224, p483-493, 2004.