Related papers: Testing the proposed link between cosmic rays and …
The chemistry of shielded molecular gas is primarily driven by energetic, charged particles dubbed cosmic rays (CRs), in particular those with energies under 1 GeV. CRs ionize molecular hydrogen and helium, the latter of which contributes…
Cosmic rays pervade the Galaxy and are thought to be accelerated in supernova shocks. The interaction of cosmic rays with dense interstellar matter has two important effects: 1) high energy (>1 GeV) protons produce {\gamma}-rays by…
The effects of cosmic-ray diffusion and radiative cooling on the structure of the Galactic wind are studied using a steady state approximation. It is known that realistic cooling processes suppress the wind from launching. The effects of…
The Mauna Loa Observatory record of direct-beam solar irradiance measurements for the years 1958-2010 is analysed to investigate the variation of clear-sky terrestrial insolation with solar activity over more than four solar cycles. The raw…
We investigate the possibility that the decrease in the relative luminosity of the 158 micron [CII] line with the far-infrared luminosity in extragalactic sources stems from a stronger contribution from the heated dust emission in the more…
It is suggested that the decline with energy of the boron to carbon abundance ratio in Galactic cosmic rays is due, in part, to a correlation between the maximum energy attainable by shock acceleration in a given region of the Galactic disk…
Observations of open star clusters in the solar neighborhood are used to calculate local supernova (SN) rates for the past 510 million years (Myr). Peaks in the SN rates match passages of the Sun through periods of locally increased cluster…
The level of solar magnetic activity, as exemplified by the number of sunspots and by energetic events in the corona, varies on a wide range of time scales. Most prominent is the 11-year solar cycle, which is significantly modulated on…
The absorption of cosmic rays by the sun produces a shadow at the earth. The angular offset and broadening of the shadow are determined by the magnitude and structure of the interplanetary magnetic field (IPMF) in the inner solar system. We…
We present an analysis of the time-dependent modulation of galactic cosmic rays near Earth, with a focus on the cosmic proton flux and polar field. Using data from the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) and the Wilcox Solar Observatory, we…
The measurement of large scale patterns or anisotropies in the arrival direction of high energy cosmic rays is an important step towards the understanding of their origin. Such measurements rely on an accurate estimation of the detector…
The current cycle minimum appears to be deeper and broader than recent cycle minima, and this minimum appears similar to the minima in the early 1900s. With the best-ever solar irradiance measurements from several different satellite…
We investigate ionization and heating of gas in the dense, shielded clumps/cores of molecular clouds bathed by an influx of energetic, charged cosmic rays (CRs). These molecular clouds have complex structures, with substantial variation in…
The questions whether the Sun shrinks with the solar activity and what causes this have been a subject of debate. Helioseismology provides means to measure with high precision the radial displacement of subsurface layers, co-called "seismic…
To better understand the influence of the activity cycle on the solar atmosphere, we report the time variation of the radius observed at 37 GHz ($\lambda$=8.1 mm) obtained by the Mets\"ahovi Radio Observatory (MRO) through Solar Cycles 22…
We argue that the diffusion of cosmic rays in the Galactic magnetic field has to be strongly anisotropic. As a result, the number of CR sources contributing to the local CR flux is reduced by a factor $\sim 200$. The CR density is therefore…
We investigate the effects of cosmic ray (CR) dynamics on cold, dense clouds embedded in a hot, tenuous galactic halo. If the magnetic field does not increase too much inside the cloud, the local reduction in Alfv\'en speed imposes a…
As photovoltaic power is expanding rapidly worldwide, it is imperative to assess its promise under future climate scenarios. While a great deal of research has been devoted to trends of mean solar radiation, less attention has been paid to…
The Solar Cycle is reviewed. The 11-year cycle of solar activity is characterized by the rise and fall in the numbers and surface area of sunspots. A number of other solar activity indicators also vary in association with the sunspots…
Chemistry in diffuse molecular clouds relies primarily on rapid ion-molecule reactions. Formation of the initial ions, H$^+$ and H$_2^+$, is dominated by cosmic-ray ionization of H and H$_2$, making the cosmic-ray ionization rate (denoted…