Construction of a particle climatology for the study of the effects of solar particle fluxes on the atmosphere Original Research Article

In an investigation of the atmospheric effects of particle input, we are currently developing a particle climatology built using the UARS (Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite) particle database. UARS operates in a circular 585 km orbit and makes differential energy per unit charge measurements of electrons and positive ions in the range of a few eV to several MeV. The climatology is an empirical model that enables the user to obtain average spectral characteristics, precipitating particle fluxes, and ionization rate profiles as functions of latitude, local time, and activity level. To further the goals of Working Group 1 of the International Solar Cycle Study (ISCS), we propose the construction of such a particle climatology. We suggest the UARS particle climatology as a starting point, to be augmented by additional low-altitude particle data. In this paper we describe the development of the current climatology, show how it will be augmented to produce an improved ISCS climatology, and illustrate how this climatology will be used to carry out the objectives of the ISCS.