Effects of planetary magnetic storms in the atmospheric electric field near the earth's surface

The paper presents an investigation of the response of the atmospheric electric field (AEF) near the earth's surface in different latitude zones on solar flares unaccompanied by Forbush decreases. In the first 12 hours after storm commencement at high and middle latitudes, a statistically significant decrease in electric field level relative to the level of the undisturbed field was observed at both high-latitude and midlatitude stations. The data are explained by a mechanism that associates the response of the AEF to an intense solar flare with variations of the cosmic-ray cutoff rigidity during a planetary magnetic storm.