Research Library Heliobiology

Heliobiology is a relatively new field of research in biophysics that has mostly developed over the last 20 years. Numerous studies have examined how space weather and solar changes affect various biological systems, including human health. Most of these studies focused on the cardiovascular system. Others also examined the autonomic nervous system, the effects on the brain and hormones.

In the meantime, there are hundreds of heliobiological publications. They study various biological systems, timescales and geographical locations. This abundance can be overwhelming. Hence, this library aims to gather all this knowledge in one place. You may start with one of the reviews. Additionally, a few introductory publications on astrophysics and geophysics are included.

Heliobiological Reviews

Khabarova, O., & Dimitrova, S. (2009). On the nature of people’s reaction to space weather and meteorological weather changes. Sun and Geosphere, 4(2), 60-71.

Palmer, S. J., Rycroft, M. J., & Cermack, M. (2006). Solar and geomagnetic activity, extremely low frequency magnetic and electric fields and human health at the Earth’s surface. Surveys in Geophysics, 27(5), 557-595. doi:10.1007/s10712-006-9010-7

Zenchenko, T. A., & Breus, T. K. (2021). The Possible Effect of Space Weather Factors on Various Physiological Systems of the Human Organism. Atmosphere, 12(3), 346. Retrieved from https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/12/3/346

Nevoit, G., Landauskas, M., McCarty, R., Bumblyte, I. A., Potyazhenko, M., Taletaviciene, G., Jarusevicius, G., & Vainoras, A. (2025). Schumann Resonances and the Human Body: Questions About Interactions, Problems and Prospects. Applied Sciences, 15(1), 449. https://doi.org/10.3390/app15010449

HRV (Heart Rate Variability) Studies

Alabdulgader, A., McCraty, R., Atkinson, M., Dobyns, Y., Vainoras, A., Ragulskis, M., & Stolc, V. (2018). Long-Term Study of Heart Rate Variability Responses to Changes in the Solar and Geomagnetic Environment. Scientific Reports, 8. doi:ARTN 2663 10.1038/s41598-018-20932-x

Breus, T. K., Baevskii, R. M., & Chernikova, A. G. (2012). Effects of geomagnetic disturbances on humans functional state in space flight.

Chernouss, S., Vinogradov, A., & Vlassova, E. (2001). Geophysical hazard for Human health in the circumpolar Auroral Belt: evidence of a relationship between heart rate variation and electromagnetic disturbances. Natural Hazards, 23(2), 121-135.

Cornélissen, G., Halberg, F., Breus, T., Syutkina, E. V., Baevsky, R., Weydahl, A., . . . Bakken, E. E. (2002). Non-photic solar associations of heart rate variability and myocardial infarction. Journal of Atmospheric and Solar-Terrestrial Physics, 64(5), 707-720. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/S1364-6826(02)00032-9

Kleiger, R. E., Miller, J. P., Bigger, J. T., Jr., & Moss, A. J. (1987). Decreased heart rate variability and its association with increased mortality after acute myocardial infarction. Am J Cardiol, 59(4), 256-262. doi:10.1016/0002-9149(87)90795-8

McCraty, R. A., A. et al. (2018). The influence of heart coherence on synchronization between human heart rate variability and geomagnetic activity. Journal of Complexity in Health Sciences, Vol. 1, Issue 2, 2018, p. 42-48.

Qtsuka, K., Cornélissen, G., & Halberg, F. (1997). Circadian rhythmic fractal scaling of heart rate variability in health and coronary artery disease. Clinical cardiology, 20(7), 631-638.

Sajadieh, A., Nielsen, O. W., Rasmussen, V., Hein, H. O., Abedini, S., & Hansen, J. F. (2004). Increased heart rate and reduced heart-rate variability are associated with subclinical inflammation in middle-aged and elderly subjects with no apparent heart disease. European Heart Journal, 25(5), 363-370. doi:10.1016/j.ehj.2003.12.003

Stein, P. K., Barzilay, J. I., Chaves, P. H. M., Traber, J., Domitrovich, P. P., Heckbert, S. R., & Gottdiener, J. S. (2008). Higher Levels of Inflammation Factors and Greater Insulin Resistance Are Independently Associated with Higher Heart Rate and Lower Heart Rate Variability in Normoglycemic Older Individuals: The Cardiovascular Health Study. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 56(2), 315-321. doi:https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1532-5415.2007.01564.x

Blood Parameter Studies

Burch, J. B., Reif, J. S., & Yost, M. G. (1999). Geomagnetic disturbances are associated with reduced nocturnal excretion of a melatonin metabolite in humans. Neuroscience Letters, 266(3), 209-212. Retrieved from <Go to ISI>://WOS:000080443700015

Rapoport, S. I., Malinovskaia, N. K., Oraevskií, V. N., Komarov, F. I., Nosovskií, A. M., & Vetterberg, L. (1997). [Effects of disturbances of natural magnetic field of the Earth on melatonin production in patients with coronary heart disease]. Klin Med (Mosk), 75(6), 24-26.

Stoupel, E., Abramson, E., Israelevich, P., Sulkes, J., & Harell, D. (2007). Dynamics of serum C-reactive protein (CRP) level and cosmophysical activity. European Journal of Internal Medicine, 18(2), 124-128. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejim.2006.09.010

Pahlen, T. S. (2025). Association of solar variability and space weather factors with parameters of clinical chemistry, hematology, hemostasis, inflammatory biomarkers and heart rate variability in a middle- aged to elderly population-based cohort.

Blood Pressure and Vascular Studies

Cabrera, S. E., Mindell, J. S., Toledo, M., Alvo, M., & Ferro, C. J. (2016). Associations of Blood Pressure With Geographical Latitude, Solar Radiation, and Ambient Temperature: Results From the Chilean Health Survey, 2009-2010. American Journal of Epidemiology, 183(11), 1071-1073. Retrieved from <Go to ISI>://WOS:000377417600013

Dimitrova, S., Stoilova, I., & Cholakov, I. (2004). Influence of local geomagnetic storms on arterial blood pressure. Bioelectromagnetics: Journal of the Bioelectromagnetics Society, The Society for Physical Regulation in Biology and Medicine, The European Bioelectromagnetics Association, 25(6), 408-414.

Ghione, S., Mezzasalma, L., Del Seppia, C., & Papi, F. (1998). Do geomagnetic disturbances of solar origin affect arterial blood pressure? Journal of Human Hypertension, 12(11), 749-754. doi:DOI 10.1038/sj.jhh.1000708

Gurfinkel, Y. I., Lyubimov, V., & Oraevskii, V. (1995). Influence of geomagnetic disturbances on capillary blood flow of patients with ischemic cardiac disease. Biofizika, 40(4), 800.

Vencloviene, J., Braziene, A., & Dobozinskas, P. (2018). Short-Term Changes in Weather and Space Weather Conditions and Emergency Ambulance Calls for Elevated Arterial Blood Pressure. Atmosphere, 9(3). doi:10.3390/atmos9030114

Electroencephalogram (EEG) Studies

Allakhverdiev, A. R., Allakhverdieva, A. A., & Babayev, E. S. (2020). Functional State of the Brain of Elderly Women at Rest and in Mental Stress under Varying Geomagnetic Conditions. Human Physiology, 46(4), 408-416. doi:10.1134/S0362119720020024

Persinger, M. A. (2014). Schumann resonance frequencies found within quantitative electroencephalographic activity: Implications for Earth-brain interactions. International Letters of Chemistry, Physics and Astronomy, 11(1), 24-32.

Saroka, K. S., & Persinger, M. A. (2014). Quantitative evidence for direct effects between earth-ionosphere Schumann Resonances and human cerebral cortical activity. International Letters of Chemistry, Physics and Astronomy, 20.

Heart Disease- and Stroke Studies

Giannaropoulou, E., Papailiou, M., Mavromichalaki, H., Gigolashvili, M., Tvildiani, L., Janashia, K., . . . Papadima, T. (2014). A study on the various types of arrhythmias in relation to the polarity reversal of the solar magnetic field. Natural Hazards, 70(2), 1575-1587. doi:10.1007/s11069-013-0890-9

Gurfinkel, Y. I., Lyubimov, V., & Oraevskii, V. (1995). Influence of geomagnetic disturbances on capillary blood flow of patients with ischemic cardiac disease. Biofizika, 40(4), 800.

Kiznys, D., Vencloviene, J., & Milvidaite, I. (2020). The associations of geomagnetic storms, fast solar wind, and stream interaction regions with cardiovascular characteristic in patients with acute coronary syndrome. Life Sciences in Space Research, 25, 1-8. doi:10.1016/j.lssr.2020.01.002

Kleimenova, N. G., Kozyreva, O. V., Breus, T. K., & Rapoport, S. I. (2007). Pc1 geomagnetic pulsations as a potential hazard of the myocardial infarction. Journal of Atmospheric and Solar-Terrestrial Physics, 69(14), 1759-1764. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jastp.2006.10.018

Shaposhnikov, D., Revich, B., Gurfinkel, Y., & Naumova, E. (2014). The influence of meteorological and geomagnetic factors on acute myocardial infarction and brain stroke in Moscow, Russia. International Journal of Biometeorology, 58(5), 799-808. Retrieved from <Go to ISI>://WOS:000339105300017

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Stoupel, E., Abramson, E., Sulkes, J., Martfel, J., Stein, N., Handelman, M., . . . Gabbay, U. (1995). Relationship between suicide and myocardial infarction with regard to changing physical environmental conditions. International Journal of Biometeorology, 38(4), 199-203. doi:10.1007/BF01245389

Stoupel, E., Babayev, E., Mustafa, F., Abramson, E., Israelevich, P., & Sulkes, J. (2006). Clinical Cosmobiology-Sudden Cardiac Death and Daily/Monthly Geomagnetic, Cosmic Ray and Solar Activity-the Baku Study (2003-2005). Sun and Geosphere, 1.

Stoupel, E., Babayev, E. S., Abramson, E., & Sulkes, J. (2013). Days of °∞Zero°± level geomagnetic activity accompanied by the high neutron activity and dynamics of some medical events°™Antipodes to geomagnetic storms. Health, Vol.05No.05, 7. doi:10.4236/health.2013.55113

Stoupel, E., Kalediene, R., Petrauskiene, J., Starkuviene, S., Abramson, E., Israelevich, P., & Sulkes, J. (2011). Twenty years study of solar, geomagnetic, cosmic ray activity links with monthly deaths number (n-850304). Journal of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Vol.04No.06, 9. doi:10.4236/jbise.2011.46054

Stoupel, E., Martfel, J. N., & Rotenberg, Z. (1994). Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation and stroke (cerebrovascular accidents) in males and females above and below age 65 on days of different geomagnetic activity levels. J Basic Clin Physiol Pharmacol, 5(3-4), 315-329. doi:10.1515/jbcpp.1994.5.3-4.315

Stoupel, E., & Shimshoni, M. (1991). Hospital cardiovascular deaths and total distribution of deaths in 180 consecutive months with different cosmic physical activity: a correlative study (1974–1988). International Journal of Biometeorology, 35(1), 6-9.

Vencloviene, J., Babarskiene, R. M., & Kiznys, D. (2017). A possible association between space weather conditions and the risk of acute coronary syndrome in patients with diabetes and the metabolic syndrome. International Journal of Biometeorology, 61(1), 159-167. doi:10.1007/s00484-016-1200-5

Socio – Historical Studies

Ertel, S. (1996). Space weather and revolutions. Chizevsky’s hgeliobiological claim scrutinized. Studia psychologica, 38(1-2).

Gumarova, L., CornÉLissen, G., Hillman, D., & Halberg, F. (2013). Geographically selective assortment of cycles in pandemics: meta-analysis of data collected by Chizhevsky. Epidemiology and Infection, 141(10), 2173-2184. doi:10.1017/S0950268812002804

Khabarova, O. (2004). Investigation of the tchizhevsky-velhover effect. Biophysics, 49(1), S60.

Mikulecky, M. (2007). Solar activity, revolutions and cultural prime in the history of mankind. Neuroendocrinology Letters, 28(6), 749-755. Retrieved from <Go to ISI>://WOS:000252066300007

Putilov, A. A. (1992). [Unevenness of distribution of historical events throughout an 11-year solar cycle]. Biofizika, 37(4), 629-635. Retrieved from http://europepmc.org/abstract/MED/1420416

Robotti, C., & Krivelyova, A. (2003). Playing the Field: Geomagnetic Storms and the Stock Market. SSRN Electronic Journal. doi:10.2139/ssrn.375702

Tchijevsky, A. (1930). The correlation between the variation of sun-spot activity and the rise and speading epidemies. Paper presented at the Report on the XIII Congresso international de Hidrologia, Climatologia e geologia medicas, Lisboa.

Tchijevsky, A. (1971). Physical factors of the historical process. Cycles, 22, 11-27.

Biophysical Mechanisms

Cherry, N. (2002). Schumann Resonances, a plausible biophysical mechanism for the human health effects of Solar. Natural Hazards, 26(3), 279-331.

Dmitreva, I., Khabarova, O., Obridko, V., Ragulskaja, M., & Reznikov, A. (2000). Experimental confirmations of bioeffective effect of magnetic storms. Astronomical and Astrophysical Transactions, 19(1), 67-77.

Grundler, W., Kaiser, F., Keilmann, F., & Walleczek, J. (1992). Mechanisms of electromagnetic interaction with cellular systems. Naturwissenschaften, 79(12), 551-559.

Sahai, A., & Sahai, R. K. (2013). Pineal gland: A structural and functional enigma. journal of the anatomical society of india, 62(2), 170-177.

Wever, R. (1986). Characteristics of circadian rhythms in human functions. Journal of neural transmission. Supplementum, 21, 323-373.

Mental and General Health Studies

Kay, R. W. (1994). Geomagnetic storms: association with incidence of depression as measured by hospital admission. Br J Psychiatry, 164(3), 403-409. doi:10.1192/bjp.164.3.403

Mendoza, B., & de la Pena, S. S. (2010). Solar activity and human health at middle and low geomagnetic latitudes in Central America. Advances in Space Research, 46(4), 449-459. Retrieved from <Go to ISI>://WOS:000280940500011

Stoupel, E. G., Frimer, H., Appelman, Z., Ben-Neriah, Z., Dar, H., Fejgin, M. D., . . . Shohat, M. (2005). Chromosome aberration and environmental physical activity: Down syndrome and solar and cosmic ray activity, Israel, 1990-2000. International Journal of Biometeorology, 50(1), 1-5. doi:10.1007/s00484-005-0274-2

Astrophysical Background

Hathaway, D. H. (2015). The solar cycle. Living reviews in solar physics, 12(1), 4.

Heckman, S., Williams, E., & Boldi, B. (1998). Total global lightning inferred from Schumann resonance measurements. Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, 103(D24), 31775-31779.

Matveyeva, E. T., & Shchepetnov, R. V. (2007). Temporal characteristics and medical aspects of Pc1 geomagnetic pulsations. Journal of Atmospheric and Solar-Terrestrial Physics, 69(14), 1747-1752. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jastp.2007.02.012

Schüssler, M. (2012). Solar magneto-convection. Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union, 8(S294), 95-106. doi:10.1017/S1743921313002329

Solanki, S. K., Inhester, B., & Schüssler, M. (2006). The solar magnetic field. Reports on Progress in Physics, 69(3), 563.

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