Effect of magnetospheric substorms on asymptotic directions of arrival of cosmic ray relativistic protons

The effect of magnetospheric storm on the propagation of relativistic protons has been analyzed. The method of trajectory calculations has been used to estimate changes in the reception cones for 21 stations, caused by the storm of July 19–20, 2000, accompanied by considerable saw-tooth substorm disturbances. It has been indicated that the degree of the substorm effect on the propagation of cosmic ray (CR) relativistic protons, registered with ground detectors, differs for different stations and depends on a distance of the particle trajectory from the localization of a substorm disturbance. The maximal effect for the considered substorm was found at Inuvik and McMurdo stations. Changes in the reception cone, caused by the substorm at these stations, were comparable or even larger than changes caused by the storm. Based on the calculations, the conclusion has been drawn that a disturbance (substorm) localized in space results in the appearance of relatively local zones on the Earth’s surface where characteristics of the asymptotic arrival of relativistic particles are changed.