IJECT Vol. 4, Issue Spl - 1, Jan - March 2013
ISSN : 2230-7109 (Online) | ISSN : 2230-9543 (Print)
Dependence of Cloudiness and Temperature
on Cosmic Radiation
1
A. B. Bhattacharya, 2D. K. Tripathi, 3K. Royc, 4A. Naga
Dept. of Physics, University of Kalyani, Kalyani, West Bengal, India
2
Dept. of Physics, Narula Institute of Technology, Calcutta, India
3
Dept. of ECE, Asansol Engineering College, Asansol, India
4
Dept. of Physics, Modern Institute of Engineering and Technology, Bandel, Hooghly, India
1
Abstract
The cosmic rays affect the earth’s climate. The balance between
the radiation on earth and its redistribution is controlled by
the cloudiness which in turn is also responsible for changes in
environmental conditions. The data we have considered for the
present investigation cover a period from 1965-2011. In this paper
the dependence of Indian rainfall, yearly average of monthly
average temperature and the cosmic ray intensity have been
examined. It is found that the variation ofIndian rainfall follows
the same trend as the year wise average of hourly cosmic ray
intensity taken in the northern hemisphere while opposite trend
is exhibited between them for the yearwise average of hourly
cosmic ray intensity taken in the southern hemisphere. The yearly
average of mean monthly temperature does not follow any definite
trend when the year wise average of hourly cosmic ray intensity
is taken into consideration for both the hemispheres.
Keywords
Cosmic Ray Intensity, Galactic Cosmic Rays, Rainfall
I. Introduction
The climatic variability of earth depends on the absorption,
redistribution and re-radiation of cosmic rays. Cosmic rays
include GCR (galactic cosmic rays) and SCR (solar cosmic rays).
Extragalactic rays can also influence the earth’s environment.
The cloud distribution contributes to the atmospheric changes
which are affected by the cosmic rays intensity [1-3]. In this paper
the dependence of Indian rainfall, yearly averages of monthly
average temperature as well as the cosmic ray intensity have been
examined from a consideration of both northern and southern
hemispheres.
II. Analysis and Results
In the analysis we have considered the cosmic ray intensity and
its dependence on rainfall and temperature.
Besides a common period of plotting of all the three parameters
we have made some additional plots of cosmic ray intensity due
to availability of the data. The cosmic ray intensity is not same
all over the world. We have selected five stations for the present
investigation out of which two are from Southern hemisphere and
the rest are from Northern Hemisphere. The selected stations with
locations are presented in Table 1
Table 1: Location of the Selected Stations
Station Selected
McMurdo, Antarctica
South Pole, Antarctica
Swarthmore, Pennsylvania
Thule, Greenland
Moscow
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Latitude
77.9°S
90°S
39.9°N
76.5°N
55.47°N
Longitude
166.6°E
0.00°W
75.4°W
68.7°W
37.32°E
Our analysis suggests that the temperature is not following any
particular trend variation. However, the temperature variation is
opposite to that of the yearly average of hourly cosmic ray intensity
only for South Pole. Figs. 1(a) and1(b) reveals some shift of phase
in between these two parameters. From critical scrutiny of the
results shown in figs.1 (a) and 1 (b) it appears that temperautre
depends on average annual cosmic ray intensity.
McMurdo, Antarctica (77.90 S, 166.60E)
South Pole, Antarctica (900S)
Moscow (55.470N, 37.320E
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IJECT Vol. 4, Issue Spl - 1, Jan - March 2013
Swarthmore, Pennsylvania (39.90N, 75.40W)
Thule, Greenland (55.47°N, 37.32°E)
Fig. 1(b): Variation of Yearly Average of Monthly Average
Temperature of India with Cosmic Ray Intensity in Northern
Hemisphere (Solid line is for Cosmic Ray Intensity and Dotted
Line for Monthly Average Temperature)
ISSN : 2230-7109 (Online) | ISSN : 2230-9543 (Print)
Moscow (55.470N, 37.320E) Swarthmore
Pennsylvania (39.90N, 75.40W)
The cosmic ray flux also affects the amount of rainfall. Figs. 2 (a)
and 2(b) reveal the variation of Indian annual rainfall with cosmic
ray intensity in southern and northern hemisphere.
Thule, Greenland (55.47°N, 37.32°E)
Fig. 2(b) : Variation of Indian Annual Rainfall With Cosmic Ray
Intensity in Northern Hemisphere (Solid line is for Cosmic Ray
Intensity and Dotted Line for Monthly Average Temperature)
McMurdo, Antarctica (77.90 S, 166.60E)
Figs. 2 (a) and 2 (b) show that the variation of Indian annual rainfall
is opposite to the yearly average of hourly cosmic ray intensity.
Only McMurdo trend is different. It is seen that Indian annual
rainfall varies in the same manner as the yearly average of hourly
cosmic ray intensity taken at this station. Fig. 2(a) reveals that the
Indian annual rainfall is also varying in the same manner as the
yearly average of hourly cosmic ray intensity from 1965 to 1973
for South Pole. In the two hemispheres the variations of cosmic
ray intensity with rainfall aresignificantly different suggesting
variation in climatic parameter depends on latitude.
South Pole, Antarctica (900S)
III. Discussion
It appears from the analysis that there is a close dependence of
Indian rainfall on GCR showing that with increase of cosmic ray
intensity, the rainfall increases. Further there is a dependence of
temperature on cosmic rays indicating a decrease of temperature
wth increasing cosmic ray intensity.This is in accordance with the
findings reported earlier [3, 6-7]. As the variation of GCR and
SCR are similar, it becomes very tedious to separate the effects
due to them. It seems that the variation in temperature depends
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International Journal of Electronics & Communication Technology
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ISSN : 2230-7109 (Online) | ISSN : 2230-9543 (Print)
IJECT Vol. 4, Issue Spl - 1, Jan - March 2013
on average annual cosmic ray intensity but no definite trend can
be predicted [8].
IV. Acknowledgement
The annual rainfall series is taken from IITM, Pune website
(ftp://www.tropmet.res.in/pub/data/rain-series/8-all_ind.txt)and
temperature series is taken from http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/
oa/climate/online/doe/india1x1.temp_monthAC.We thankfully
acknowledge the data obtained from the Bartol Research Institute
neutron monitor program (ftp:/ftp.bartol.udel.edu)supported by
the United States National Science Foundation under grants
ANT-0739620 and ANT – 0838839and Cosmic ray station
Moscow,(http://helios.izmiran.rssi.ru/cosray/main.htm).
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