Validation of neutron monitor data for studies of cosmic ray modulation

Abstract The near-Earth space and upper atmosphere experience a continuous barrage of particles from different sources: The magnetized solar wind flow from the Sun and the highly energetic cosmic rays originating from (extra-)galactic sources or solar eruptions. Energetic cosmic rays can also create particle air showers that reach the ground level at Earth. The flux of cosmic rays arriving at Earth can be measured at different locations by employing neutron monitors (NMs). We can use NM data to study the local variation of cosmic radiation or use a combination of NMs with knowledge about the geomagnetic shielding to model the flux of cosmic rays in near-Earth space. The flux of galactic cosmic rays (GCRs) arriving to the heliosphere, the region of solar plasma influence, is believed to be constant on millenial time scales. Therefore, the variations of cosmic rays we observe inside the heliosphere are related solely on the heliospheric modulation of cosmic rays through deflection in magnetic fields. This modulation is driven by solar activity and is highly periodic. The 11-year solar cycle is the strongest modulator, but also periods of about 1.75 years, 155 days and the solar rotational 27 days can be identified. Also the local anisotropy of cosmic rays at Earth causes a daily variation in CR measurements. Since the heliospheric medium is highly turbulent, magnetic irregularities generated by it cause modulation of GCRs. By studying power spectrum slopes of NM variations, we found evidence that the level of turbulence affecting NM variations is also dependent on the solar cycle phase. Over one hundred NMs have been active since the 1950s. The NM data is available from multiple databases, but it was found that these datasets are not uniform with one another. A subsequent survey of 147 NM stations from over 300 data records analysed the situation and made it possible to construct a recommended data source list for users of NM data. With the improved knowledge of NM station data quality, we used data from multiple NM stations and new NM yield function estimations to construct an updated version of the heliospheric modulation potential, which is a measure of the average energy loss of GCR particles in the heliosphere at 1 AU. This new method is highly scalable and accurate and was used to produce a daily version of the modulation potential reconstruction