Spectra and Anisotropy of Cosmic Rays During the First GLE Event of Solar Cycle 24

By employing the method of spectrographic global survey, the spectra of protons and anisotropy of cosmic rays during the firstGround-Level Enhancement (GLE) of the intensity of cosmic rays in the solar cycle 24 onMay 17, 2012, a GLE71 event, are studied on the basis of data from ground-based observations of cosmic rays by means of the worldwide network of stations and data from spacecrafts. The rigidity spectra of cosmic rays and relative variations in the intensity of cosmic rays with rigidity 2 GV in the solarecliptic geocentric coordinate system are presented within individual periods of the event under study. It is shown that, in GLE71 periods, protons were accelerated to rigidities in the range of R ~ 2.3−2.5 GV and that the respective differential rigidity spectra of solar cosmic rays are not described by a power-law or an exponential function of the particle rigidity. During the event being considered, the Earth was in the loop-shaped structure of the interplanetary magnetic field.