Cosmic-ray spectra of /sup 1/H, /sup 2/H, and /sup 4/He as a test of the origin of the hydrogen superfluxes at solar minimum modulation

Journal Article · Mon Jul 15 04:00:00 EDT 1985 · Astrophys. J.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/163311· OSTI ID:5375773

Beatty, J J; Garcia-Munoz, M; Simpson, J A

During the most recent (1972--1977) period of minimum solar modulation, it was discovered in the low-energy cosmic-ray spectra at 1 AU that (a) anomalous spectral components of /sup 4/He and heavier nuclei appeared; and (b) proton and helium ''superfluxes'' appeared which exceeded by up to 80% and 30%, respectively, the flux levels of the previous solar minimum in 1965. The simultaneous presence of these two phenomena has been investigated to determine whether the proton superflux is part of the proton galactic cosmic rays or is part of the anomalous nuclear components. The /sup 2/H//sup 1/H and the /sup 2/H//sup 4/He abundance ratios in the galactic cosmic rays at 56 MeV per nucleon are used as ''tracers'' to determine the origin of the proton superflux. These ratios, and the differential energy spectra of /sup 1/H, /sup 2/H, and He, were measured as a function of time and modulation level over a solar cycle with instruments on the IMP-class satellites. It is concluded that the superfluxes are of cosmic-ray origin and, at 1 AU, the result of reduced levels of residual modulation during the 1972--1977 solar minimum. They are not a significant part of the anomalous nuclear component.

• Research Organization: Enrico Fermi Institute, University of Chicago
• OSTI ID: 5375773
• Journal Information: Astrophys. J.; (United States), Journal Name: Astrophys. J.; (United States) Vol. 294:2; ISSN ASJOA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640101* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Cosmic Radiation
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
BARYONS
COSMIC PROTONS
COSMIC RADIATION
COSMIC RAY FLUX
DATA
DEUTERIUM
ELEMENT ABUNDANCE
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
ENERGY
ENERGY RANGE
ENERGY SPECTRA
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FERMIONS
HADRONS
HELIUM 4
HELIUM ISOTOPES
HYDROGEN ISOTOPES
INFORMATION
IONIZING RADIATIONS
ISOTOPES
KINETIC ENERGY
LIGHT NUCLEI
MEV RANGE
MEV RANGE 10-100
MODULATION
NUCLEI
NUCLEONS
NUMERICAL DATA
ODD-ODD NUCLEI
ORIGIN
PROTONS
RADIATION FLUX
RADIATIONS
SOLAR CYCLE
SPECTRA
STABLE ISOTOPES
TIME DEPENDENCE