Confirmation of secondary cosmic ray flux enhancement during the total lunar eclipse of 10 December 2011

Abstract

Temporal variation of secondary cosmic rays (SCR) flux was measured during the total lunar eclipse on 10 December 2011 and the subsequent full moon on 8 January 2012 from Mumbai (Geomagnetic latitude: 10.6°N), India. The measurements were done by using NaI (Tl) scintillation detector with energy threshold of 200 keV. The SCR flux shows approximately 8.1% enhancement during the lunar eclipse as compared to the average of pre- and post-eclipse periods. Weather parameters (temperature and relative humidity) were continuously monitored, and their correlations with temporal variation in SCR flux have been examined. The influences of geomagnetic field, interplanetary parameters, and tidal effect on SCR flux have been considered. Qualitative analysis of SCR flux variation indicates that local weather, interplanetary, and geomagnetic factors affecting SCR flux fail to explain the observed enhancement during the eclipse. Lunar tidal effect on magnetosphere and crust still remains a possible mechanism which needs to be investigated in detail. The enhancement during lunar eclipse and widely reported decrease during solar eclipses may unravel hitherto unnoticed factors modulating SCR flux.