Magnetic clouds, geomagnetic disturbances, and cosmic ray decreases

Nineteen magnetic clouds are identified in the years from 1978 through 1982 and studied using superposed epoch analysis. The magnetic field intensity, proton density, and proton temperature are enhanced ahead of magnetic clouds that are preceded by a shock, while strong magnetic field intensity and low proton temperature are observed within the clouds. A relatively large (∼2.5%) decrease in cosmic ray intensity is associated with magnetic clouds that are preceded by a shock, perhaps caused by the turbulent sheath behind an interplanetary shock ahead of the magnetic cloud, whereas only a small (∼0.5%) decrease in intensity is associated with the magnetic cloud itself. Magnetic clouds can produce geomagnetic activity with a decrease in Dst index of the order of 100 γ. The magnitude of the change in the Dst index for the case when southward fields arrive first is comparable to that for the case when northward fields arrive first, and the phase is such that geomagnetic activity is associated with southward fields.