Thunderstorms as a possible cause of the increased neutron background near the equator

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Space and Atmospheric Physics
1Bratolyubova-Tsulukidze, LS, 2Golubev, VN, 1Grachev, EA, 1Grigoryan, OR, 3Kunitsyn, ВE, 1Lysakov, DS, 1Kuzhevskiy, BM, 1Nechaev, OYu., 3Usanova, ME
1D.V. Skobeltsin Scientific Research Institute of Nuclear Physics, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
2S.P. Korolev Rocket and Space Corporation Energia, Moscow Region, Russia
3Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
Kosm. nauka tehnol. 2002, 8 ;(Supplement2):184-193
https://doi.org/10.15407/knit2002.02s.184
Publication Language: Russian
Abstract: 
The result of the analysis of experimental data on thermal neutron fluxes obtained onboard the Mir orbital complex (1991) and Kolibri satellite (2002) at an altitude of 400 km is given. It is obtained that the distribution of the near-equatorial neutron flux has a long-term dependence. The increased background values ​​of neutron fluxes with an energy of 0.25 eV – 1.9 MeV, as well as individual bursts of neutrons with an energy of 0.1–1.0 MeV, are observed mainly in two sectors: the Pacific and the African. Thunderstorms are considered as a possible source of phenomena observed near the equator.
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