Geomagnetic and Cosmic Ray Activity Effect on Heart Rate during the Solar Cycle 24

Abstract

The number of investigations relevant to the study of geomagnetic activity, solar events, and cosmic rays, i.e., space weather phenomena, and their impact on human health has increased dramatically over the past few years. Numerous studies examine the reaction of the cardiovascular, nervous, and other functional systems to variations observed in geospace. These studies examine the behavior of human physiological parameters not only during different levels of activity of the Sun and in the interplanetary space (from no activity to remarkably intense activity) but also through geomagnetic activity storms and Forbush decreases. Here, individuals from the Hippocratio General Hospital in Athens, the cardiology clinics of Nikaia General Hospital in Piraeus, and the Heraklion University Hospital in Crete, Greece, were assessed during the time period from 2011 until 2018. The heart rate of the individuals was recorded every hour via the Holter electrocardiogram method. Data were analyzed using the analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the method of superimposed epochs. The investigation covers not only the ascending but also the descending phase of the solar cycle 24 (lasting until 2019 and with its maximum in the year 2014).

Keywords

• heart rate
• Forbush decreases
• geomagnetic storms
• cosmic ray intensity