Correlated variations of different cosmic ray components during thunderstorms and accompanying effects
The strong variations in cosmic rays observed by the Carpet air shower array at the Baksan Neutrino Observatory (Institute for Nuclear Research, Russian Academy of Sciences) during thunderstorms are shown to have different origins. One type of event in particular is discussed: when disturbances in the intensities of the muon and electron-photon components of cosmic rays take place simultaneously. The correlations of these disturbances with variations in the geomagnetic field are presented and interpreted as a manifestation of a single physical process in the upper atmosphere. Details of this process are discussed.