Abstract:
Solar neutrons are produced from high energy processes in solar flares. The phenomena associated with solar neutrons include soft X-ray emission, hard X-ray emission and Y-ray emission. The solar neutrons can be observed by ground- based detector. When cosmic rays collide with the Earths atmosphere to produce a shower or cascade of secondary particles, ground-based neutron monitors can detect the secondary neutrons from the shower. The increased count rate of a neutron monitor due to solar neutrons occurs over such a short time duration that the fluctuations of background galactic cosmic rays might produce a signal like this.
Statistical methods are needed to decide whether or not an increased count rate in a neutron monitor is a signal from solar neutrons. This statistical test features an automated determination of an optimum background interval with the background determined both before and after the signal period. The statistical method used to evaluated the detection of solar neutrons at the 95 % confidence level at the Tsumeb neutron monitor station in southern Africa has not found false alarms during October, 2003. The signal found from this station on October 28, 2003 is generally recognized as a true signal. However, if the results from the statistical method were to have false positives, that might occur from the increase in count rate from statistical fluctuations, solar energeticions, or Forbush decrease recoveries, which we aim to eliminate with our statistical test.