Study of solar activity with AERA data

Abstract: We investigate the effects of solar activity on the Auger Engineering Radio Array (AERA) data collected over 10 years. We report the observation of Solar Radio Burst signals in AERA data associated with intense solar flares accompanied by moderate and strong radio blackout levels recorded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Additionally, although in a frequency range different from AERA, the increased level of X-ray and extreme ultraviolet radiation during periods of larger solar activity also impacts the AERA data in a twofold way: (i) causing the atmosphere to bounce terrestrial radio waves emitted by sources far from the AERA site or (ii) causing radio signals to become degraded or completely absorbed (radio blackout) if the solar radiation results in larger ionization of the upper or lower layers of the ionosphere, respectively. We describe the identification of both cases in AERA data with a remarkable correlation between the Maximum Usable Frequency (MUF), that represents the highest frequency that can be used for radio communication between two points located on the Earth, modulated by the solar cycle, and the broadband noise observed in the frequency range of 30-40 MHz.