The response function of the Aragats Solar Neutron Telescope

The Aragats Solar Neutron Telescope (ASNT) is in operation at the Mt. Aragats research center (3200 m above sea level) in Armenia and constitutes part of the worldwide network, coordinated by Nagoya University. In this paper, we calculate the response function of the ASNT to the galactic and solar cosmic rays and determine the energy thresholds of the four ASNT channels. The capability of ASNT to distinguish the Ground Level Enhancements (GLEs) originated by solar neutrons is proposed and tested on the largest GLEs of the 23rd solar cycle.