The force acting on a charged solar cosmic ray due to the action of the geomagnetic field has been analyzed in terms of its components along the E-W, the N-S, and the vertical directions. With certain simplifying assumptions, the relative magnitudes of these components and their directions have been determined for specific values of the geographic latitude $\lambda$ of the place of observation as well as the declination $\delta$ and the hour angle $t$ of the sun. The deflection that can be produced in the trajectories of solar cosmic rays is qualitatively discussed in terms of the resulting changes which may be expected in the hour of maximum of the diurnal variation of cosmic rays assumed to be due to particles from the sun. It appears that the hour of maximum should become later with increase of latitude. In a northern latitude, a north-pointing cosmic-ray telescope should reveal a diurnal variation with an earlier maximum than a south-pointing telescope. There is a possibility therefore of being able to interpret the experimental results of directional studies of the diurnal variation of cosmic rays in terms of geomagnetic effects.

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