Cosmic Ray Neutron Sensing (CRNS) as a Space Weather Tool?

Since mid 2024 a CRNS detector has been installed in Kiel close to the Kiel neutron monitor (NM). The latter is a measure of the incoming cosmic ray induced neutron environment and is used to correct the CRNS data in order to determine the soil moisture in the surrounding area of the system. 
The fact that the CRNS detector and the NM are at the same location allows a unique insight into the correlation of both measurements. Since both count rates are expected to decrease during Forbush Decreases (FDs) we can investigate their correlation during all FDs observed from mid 2024. In contrast, the correlation is far lower during the occurrence of rain events, which can lead to a similar shaped decrease in the count rate. The analysis has been repeated utilizing NMs at different locations (e.g. Jungfraujoch) in order to estimate the uncertainties of the above analysis. Furthermore, the count rates of different CRNS detectors have been compared for FDs as well as rain events to see if a distinction between both is possible without the use of a NM.