HR: 0800h
AN: SH41A-1075    [Abstracts]
TI: A Calibrated Neutron Monitor Network
AU: Moraal, H
EM: fskhm@puk.ac.za
AF: North-West University, Unit for Space Physics, Potchefstroom, 2520 South Africa
AU: Krueger, H
EM: fskhk@puk.ac.za
AF: North-West University, Unit for Space Physics, Potchefstroom, 2520 South Africa
AU: * Bieber, J W
EM: john@bartol.udel.edu
AF: Bartol Research Institute, University of Delaware, Newark, De 19716 United States
AU: Clem, J M
EM: clem@bartol.udel.edu
AF: Bartol Research Institute, University of Delaware, Newark, De 19716 United States
AU: Evenson, P A
EM: penguin@bartol.udel.edu
AF: Bartol Research Institute, University of Delaware, Newark, De 19716 United States
AU: Pyle, K R
EM: pyle@bartol.udel.edu
AF: Bartol Research Institute, University of Delaware, Newark, De 19716 United States
AU: Duldig, M
AF: Australian Antarctic Division, Kingston, Kingston, Tas xxxx Australia
AU: Humble, J E
EM: john@xyz.au
AF: Australian Antarctic Division, Kingston, Kingston, Tas xxxx Australia
AB: There are 40-odd neutron monitors around the world that record the cosmic ray intensity with rigidity > 1 GV. The cutoff rigidity for a specific station is determined by its geomagnetic coordinates and atmospheric thickness, and lies in the range 1 to 16 GV. Rigidity or energy spectra can be calculated in principle from the integral counting rates of these neutron monitors, by taking their difference in counting rate with respect to difference in cutoff rigidity, but in practice this can not be done at present because the efficiency of each monitor is different. Such rigidity/energy spectra will, however, make neutron monitors much more useful to study the rigidity dependence of cosmic ray modulation effects. This paper discusses a lightweight, mobile, neutron monitor, constructed in 2002, that can be used to calibrate the counting rates of neutron monitors to an accuracy of 0.1%. This will make spectral calculations possible. Its design criteria, construction, initial tests for energy and temperature sensitivity, and proposed calibration protocols are presented.
DE: 2104 Cosmic rays
SC: SPA-Solar and Heliospheric Physics [SH]
MN: 2004 AGU Fall Meeting