Cosmic Ray Particle Transport in the Earth’s Magnetosphere

Abstract

The transport of the cosmic ray particles in the Earth's magnetic field must be considered for cosmic ray investigations based on cosmic ray measurements in the geomagnetosphere. The motion of charged particles in a magnetic field is defined by the Lorentz force. The trajectories of cosmic ray particles are curved by the Earth's magnetic field. In a first approximation the geomagnetic field can be described by a dipole magnetic field. For a more accurate description the geomagnetic magnetic field is divided into two parts: the inner part generated by an internal dynamo and the outer part induced by different current systems in the ionosphere and the magnetosphere. Models have been developed that describe the inner and the outer magnetic field. The computations of the propagation of the cosmic ray particles in the Earth's magnetosphere are made with computer programs based on numerical integration of the equation of motion. For the specification of geomagnetic effects on cosmic ray particles the concept of cutoff rigidities and of asymptotic directions have been introduced.