Diurnal variations of cosmic rays during a solar magnetic cycle

Abstract

Abstract We have used data from five neutron monitor stations with primary rigidity (Rm) ranging from 16 GeV to 33 GeV to study the diurnal variations of cosmic rays over the period: 1965–1986 covering one 22‐year solar magnetic cycle. The heliosphere interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) and plasma hourly measurements taken near Earth orbit, by a variety of spacecraft, are also used to compare with the results of solar diurnal variation. The local time of maximum of solar diurnal diurnal variations displays a 22‐year cycle due to the solar polar magnetic field polarities. In general, the annual mean of solar diurnal amplitudes, magnitude of IMF and plasma parameters are found to show separte solar cycle variations. Moreover, during the declining period of the twenty and twenty‐ne solar cycles, large solar diurnal amplitudes are observed which associated with high values of solar wind speed, plasma temperature and interplanetary magnetic field magnitude B3.