Prospects for studies of high-energy solar cosmic rays with ATLAS

TL;DR

This paper explores the potential of the ATLAS detector at CERN to detect muon bursts associated with solar cosmic rays, building on past observations and leveraging upcoming increased solar activity.

Contribution

It proposes using the ATLAS muon system to investigate the connection between muon bursts and solar cosmic rays during the upcoming solar cycle.

Findings

ATLAS has a capable muon detection system for cosmic ray studies.

Increased solar activity may lead to detectable muon bursts.

Potential to clarify the relation between muon bursts and solar flares.

Abstract

The ATLAS detector is intended to verify the standard model and to search for new physics at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC, CERN). In addition to this primary goal, it also allows detection of muons of cosmic rays. On the other hand, unusual bursts of the muon intensity, which correlate with powerful solar flares were recorded and investigated earlier at the Baksan Underground Scintillation Telescope (BUST, INR, Russia) in period from 1981 to 2006 (~2.5 solar cycles). The nature of the muon bursts and their probable relation to the solar cosmic rays is still not quite clear. ATLAS has an excellent muon system allowing search for similar muon bursts. Within the next few years, when the LHC and ATLAS should start to operate, an increase in the solar activity is expected in the new 24th cycle. It increases the probability of finding the muon bursts from powerful flares. Hence ATLAS has a good opportunity to verify the relation of muon bursts to the solar cosmic rays.