  It has been suggested that galactic shock asymmetry induced by our galaxy's
infall toward the Virgo Cluster may be a source of periodicity in cosmic ray
exposure as the solar system oscillates perpendicular to the galactic plane.
Here we investigate a mechanism by which cosmic rays might affect terrestrial
biodiversity, ionization and dissociation in the atmosphere, resulting in
depletion of ozone and a resulting increase in the dangerous solar UVB flux on
the ground, with an improved ionization background computation averaged over a
massive ensemble (about 7 x 10^5) shower simulations. We study minimal and full
exposure to the postulated extragalactic background. The atmospheric effects
are greater than with our earlier, simplified ionization model. At the lower
end of the range effects are too small to be of serious consequence. At the
upper end of the range, ~6 % global average loss of ozone column density
exceeds that currently experienced due to effects such as accumulated
chlorofluorocarbons. The intensity is less than a nearby supernova or galactic
gamma-ray burst, but the duration would be about 10^6 times longer. Present UVB
enhancement from current ozone depletion ~3% is a documented stress on the
biosphere, but a depletion of the magnitude found at the upper end of our range
would double the global average UVB flux. For estimates at the upper end of the
range of the cosmic ray variability over geologic time, the mechanism of
atmospheric ozone depletion may provide a major biological stress, which could
easily bring about major loss of biodiversity. Future high energy astrophysical
observations will resolve the question of whether such depletion is likely.

Astrophysics;High Energy Physics - Phenomenology;Atmospheric and Oceanic Physics;Geophysics;Populations and Evolution