ForbMod (EU-H2020 Marie Curie Sklodowska Actions)
Forbush decrease model for expanding CMEs affecting Earth and Mars
- Run-Time: 2017-2019
- Project Description: Galactic cosmic rays have a major impact on interplanetary space and planetary surfaces and are of outmost importance for space travel. They are modulated by the activity of the Sun – during high solar activity their number is reduced. On short time scales of several days, the reduction in galactic cosmic rays, so-called Forbush decreases, are observed, which are caused by the most violent eruptions in the solar system – coronal mass ejections (CMEs, a.k.a. solar storms). Project “Forbush decrease model for expanding CMEs (ForbMod)” aims to unravel how galactic cosmic rays are influenced by solar storms in the inner solar system (Sun to Mars) by developing a new model and utilizing a number of spacecraft and planetary observation, including those by Mars Curiosity Rover. Our current understanding is that the CMEs are actually magnetic structures disconnected from its surrounding so that the galactic cosmic rays can only enter inside trough random walk, i.e. diffusion. Since diffusion is slow compared to the speed of initially empty CME while traveling trough the interplanetary space, during the passage of the CME over our instruments we observe Forbush decreases. We intend to supplement our current understanding of this process by including some known observational facts about CMEs, which were greatly improved by spacecraft measurements in the past two decades. For the first time we will use CME observations to constrain the Forbush decrease model and take into account that CME evolves while traveling trough interplanetary space. In addition, for the first time we will compare modeling results to measurements not only taken from Earth, but also from Mars, recently available with the Mars Curiosity Rover. This modeling and multi-spacecraft observational approach will allow testing unanswered hypotheses on the FD properties. Thus the project will generate new knowledge on the properties of galactic cosmic ray decreases by solar storms, which is relevant for space weather, human spaceflight and planetary and exoplanetary atmospheres. [Download full proposal]
- Team: Mateja Dumbovic (PI), Manuela Temmer
- Contact - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
- Scientific publications
- Presentations
- Public Outreach
![]() |
![]() |
