© Earth to Sky Calculus
Researchers have long known that solar activity and cosmic rays have a yin-yang relationship. As solar activity declines, cosmic rays intensify.
Lately, solar activity has been very low indeed. Are cosmic rays responding? The answer is "yes." Spaceweather.com and the students of
Earth to Sky Calculus have been using helium balloons to monitor cosmic rays in the stratosphere over California. Their latest data show
an increase of almost 13% since 2015.
Cosmic rays, which are accelerated toward Earth by distant supernova explosions and other violent events, are an important form of space weather.
They can seed clouds, trigger lightning, and penetrate commercial airplanes. Furthermore, there are studies (
#1,
#2,
#3,
#4) linking cosmic rays with
cardiac arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death in the general population.
Why are cosmic rays intensifying? The main reason is the sun. Solar storm clouds such as coronal mass ejections (CMEs) sweep aside cosmic rays when they pass by Earth. During Solar Maximum, CMEs are abundant and cosmic rays are held at bay. Now, however, the solar cycle is swinging toward Solar Minimum, allowing cosmic rays to return. Another reason could be
the weakening of Earth's magnetic field, which helps protect us from deep-space radiation.
There's a new section of
our website where you can monitor cosmic rays in the atmosphere. From here, scroll down a few inches to find the latest measurements, the date of the next balloon flight, and more information about the data and sensors.
Comment: Mercury pollution released into the environment becomes a serious threat when it settles into oceans and waterways, where it is converted to methyl mercury. This transition is particularly significant for humans, who absorb methyl mercury easily and are especially vulnerable to its effects. Instead of dissolving or breaking down, mercury accumulates at ever-increasing levels. In adults, mercury poisoning can adversely affect fertility and blood pressure regulation and can cause memory loss, tremors, vision loss and numbness of the fingers and toes. A growing body of evidence suggests that exposure to mercury may also lead to heart disease.