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Beam Measurements of a CLOUD (Cosmics Leaving OUtdoor Droplets) Chamber

A striking correlation has recently been observed between global cloud cover and the flux of incident cosmic rays. The effect of natural variations in the cosmic ray flux is large, causing estimated changes in the Earth's energy radiation balance that are comparable to those attributed to green...

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Autor principal: Kirkby, Jasper
Lenguaje:eng
Publicado: 2001
Materias:
Acceso en línea:http://cds.cern.ch/record/496023
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author Kirkby, Jasper
author_facet Kirkby, Jasper
author_sort Kirkby, Jasper
collection CERN
description A striking correlation has recently been observed between global cloud cover and the flux of incident cosmic rays. The effect of natural variations in the cosmic ray flux is large, causing estimated changes in the Earth's energy radiation balance that are comparable to those attributed to greenhouse gases from the burning of fossil fuels since the Industrial Revolution. However a direct link between cosmic rays and cloud formation has not been unambiguously established. We therefore propose to experimentally measure cloud (water droplet) formation under controlled conditions in a test beam at CERN with a CLOUD chamber, duplicating the conditions prevailing in the troposphere. These data, which have never been previously obtained, will allow a detailed understanding of the possible effects of cosmic rays on clouds and confirm, or otherwise, a direct link between cosmic rays, global cloud cover and the Earth's climate. The measurements will, in turn, allow more reliable calculations to be made of the residual effect on global temperatures of the burning of fossil fuels, an issue of profound importance to society. Furthermore, light radio-isotope records indicate a correlation has existed between global climate and the cosmic ray flux extending back over the present inter-glacial and perhaps earlier. This suggests it may eventually become possible to make long-term (10-1,000 year) predictions of changes in the Earth's climate, provided a deeper understanding can be achieved of the ``geomagnetic climate'' of the Sun and Earth that modulates the cosmic-ray flux.
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spelling cern-4960232019-09-30T06:29:59Zhttp://cds.cern.ch/record/496023engKirkby, JasperBeam Measurements of a CLOUD (Cosmics Leaving OUtdoor Droplets) ChamberOther Fields of PhysicsA striking correlation has recently been observed between global cloud cover and the flux of incident cosmic rays. The effect of natural variations in the cosmic ray flux is large, causing estimated changes in the Earth's energy radiation balance that are comparable to those attributed to greenhouse gases from the burning of fossil fuels since the Industrial Revolution. However a direct link between cosmic rays and cloud formation has not been unambiguously established. We therefore propose to experimentally measure cloud (water droplet) formation under controlled conditions in a test beam at CERN with a CLOUD chamber, duplicating the conditions prevailing in the troposphere. These data, which have never been previously obtained, will allow a detailed understanding of the possible effects of cosmic rays on clouds and confirm, or otherwise, a direct link between cosmic rays, global cloud cover and the Earth's climate. The measurements will, in turn, allow more reliable calculations to be made of the residual effect on global temperatures of the burning of fossil fuels, an issue of profound importance to society. Furthermore, light radio-isotope records indicate a correlation has existed between global climate and the cosmic ray flux extending back over the present inter-glacial and perhaps earlier. This suggests it may eventually become possible to make long-term (10-1,000 year) predictions of changes in the Earth's climate, provided a deeper understanding can be achieved of the ``geomagnetic climate'' of the Sun and Earth that modulates the cosmic-ray flux.physics/0104041CERN-OPEN-2001-028oai:cds.cern.ch:4960232001-04-12
spellingShingle Other Fields of Physics
Kirkby, Jasper
Beam Measurements of a CLOUD (Cosmics Leaving OUtdoor Droplets) Chamber
title Beam Measurements of a CLOUD (Cosmics Leaving OUtdoor Droplets) Chamber
title_full Beam Measurements of a CLOUD (Cosmics Leaving OUtdoor Droplets) Chamber
title_fullStr Beam Measurements of a CLOUD (Cosmics Leaving OUtdoor Droplets) Chamber
title_full_unstemmed Beam Measurements of a CLOUD (Cosmics Leaving OUtdoor Droplets) Chamber
title_short Beam Measurements of a CLOUD (Cosmics Leaving OUtdoor Droplets) Chamber
title_sort beam measurements of a cloud (cosmics leaving outdoor droplets) chamber
topic Other Fields of Physics
url http://cds.cern.ch/record/496023
work_keys_str_mv AT kirkbyjasper beammeasurementsofacloudcosmicsleavingoutdoordropletschamber