Numerical calculations of cosmic ray penetration in earth's atmosphere

Earth is constantly bombarded by energetic particles coming from the outer space. These so called cosmic rays are responsible for a number of different processes happening in the atmosphere. In this work, numerical calculations for the cosmic ray penetration in the atmosphere, considering their energy spectra and an exponential varying air density, are performed. Simple expressions for the position of the maximum energy loss and of the ionization rate are derived. The energy loss was found to be governed by the air density variation rather than by the stopping cross-section. The ozone depletion in the stratosphere is a practical example where the results can be applied. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.