Correlation of two levels of space proton flux with monthly distribution of deaths from cardiovascular disease and suicide.

In our previous studies /1-3/ we described some significant links between monthly number of deaths due to cardiovascular disease and suicide and space proton flux > 90 MeV. The aims of the present study were to compare the relationship of some solar and geomagnetic parameters with space proton fluxes of > 60 and > 90 MeV; to examine the monthly correlation of these two proton groups with the monthly death distribution in two countries, Israel and Lithuania. Physical data were obtained from the National Geophysical Data Center and the SESC in Boulder, CO; NSSDC in Goddard Space Flight Center, USA, and the Izmiran Institute of the Academy of Sciences in Russia. Pearson correlation coefficients and probabilities were compared for 56-180 consecutive months. Proton flux of > 60 MeV significantly correlated with three of the four studied monthly geomagnetic activity indices (Ap, Am, Dst), but not with such solar activity markers as sunspot number and solar flux (2800 MGH, 10.6 cm). There was no significant relationship between proton flux of > 60 MeV and monthly number of deaths from cardiovascular diseases and suicide, in contrast to the results for > 90 MeV. From the data available during the 36 months (1986-1988), there was no correlation between monthly levels of > 60 to > 90 MeV. In conclusion, a monthly space proton flux of > 60 MeV is not significantly correlated with the monthly death distribution from cardiovascular disease and suicide and some solar activity indices, such as proton flux of > 90 MeV. It is possible that the 60-90 MeV fraction in the > 60 MeV proton flux "blunts" the cosmobiological relationship between proton flux of > 90 MeV and monthly death number.