Mini Neutron Monitors at Concordia Research Station, Central Antarctica

Abstract

Two mini neutron monitors are installed at Concordia research station (Dome C, Central Antarctica, <TEX>$75^{\circ}06^{\prime}S$</TEX>, <TEX>$123^{\circ}23^{\prime}E$</TEX>, 3,233 m.a.s.l.). The site has unique properties ideal for cosmic ray measurements, especially for the detection of solar energetic particles: very low cutoff rigidity < 0.01 GV, high elevation and poleward asymptotic acceptance cones pointing to geographical latitudes > <TEX>$75^{\circ}S$</TEX>. The instruments consist of a standard neutron monitor and a "bare" (lead-free) neutron monitor. The instrument operation started in mid-January 2015. The barometric correction coefficients were computed for the period from 1 February to 31 July 2015. Several interesting events, including two notable Forbush decreases on 17 March 2015 and 22 June 2015, and a solar particle event of 29 October 2015 were registered. The data sets are available at cosmicrays.oulu.fi and nmdb.eu.