Experimental data for cosmic ray variations and questions of development of research methodology.

This paper deals with three questions: (1) estimation of the time lag in the recovery and reduction of cosmic-ray intensity for different rigidities in the 11-yr cycle of solar activity; (2) a device for analyzing the galactic-cosmic-ray spectrum on the basis of data concerning long-wavelength radiowave propagation; and (3) some problems in the development of a general technique for investigating cosmic-ray variations. Stratospheric radiosonde data on cosmic-ray intensity are analyzed, time lags in the rise and fall of cosmic-ray intensity are discussed, and a block diagram of a device for measuring variations in the cosmic-ray spectrum using radiowave propagation data is examined. Twenty-six outstanding problems in the development of a technique for investigating cosmic-ray intensity variations are listed which relate to experiments, data processing, computation of various corrections, and determinations of coupling and meteorological coefficients.