Proton activity of the sun during 23rd solar maximum and its response in ozonosphere of the earth Original Research Article

The observations of solar proton fluxes in different channels from the boards of GOES satellites have been used to investigate the activity of the sun during current solar maximum. The maximum of proton intensity occurred in 2001. At the same time, rather strong solar proton event was found also in July 2000. So, really two peaks in the proton activity of the sun were observed with a relative minimum in 1999. 1D time-dependent photochemical model was used to calculate the response of ozone and other minor species to several (strongest in the current solar activity cycle) solar proton events. It was assumed in calculations that each pair of ions produces approximately one molecular of NO and two molecular of OH. Corresponding ionization rates induced by solar proton fluxes in the atmosphere have been calculated for mentioned solar proton events. Then the differences in minor chemical compounds content (first of all in ozone content) in the middle atmosphere were found. It was shown that calculated ozone depletion is very strong in the mesosphere, where ozone was practically destroyed (for example, after SPE in July 2000).