Evolution and solar modulation of 7Be during the solar cycle 23

The modulation of 7Be-aerosols concentration due to solar activity during the cycle 23 is studied in the present research. For that purpose, was analyzed the differences in the long-term variation of geomagnetic and solar activity to assess the physical effects over the evolution of 7Be during the period 1996–2010. Furthermore, exploratory data analysis was applied to understand better the behavior of 7Be-aerosols in the surface atmosphere. This study shows that there is an inverse relationship among 7Be measured in the near ground air and solar activity. The modulation of 7Be-aerosols during the cycle 23 was divided in two steps. In the first stage, ascending phase, 1996–2002, the solar activity played an important role in the production rate of 7Be, r = −0.75. However, during the descending phase, 2002–2009, the role of the solar activity was secondary, r = −0.30, allowing that 7Be-aerosols reached the maximum concentration, 9.33 mBq m−3 in August-09 when the solar activity was zero. Moreover, the remaining solar activity after the end of the ascending phase and the last important solar storm (December-06) caused the slowdown of 7Be production rate from 2001 to 2004 and the rupture of the seasonal behavior of 7Be in 2007, respectively. Finally, this research highlight the necessity to take into account the solar cycle phase, ascending or descending, to model studies of atmospheric process with 7Be as tracer since the contribution of the variables studied are so different in these stages.