Observations of Hydrogen and Helium Isotopes in Solar Cosmic Rays

Abstract

Hydrogen and helium isotopes in solar cosmic rays between 1.2 and 15.0 MeV/nuc have been observed with the Ca1tech Electron/Isotope Spectrometer on IMP-7. During 1973 three "^3He rich events", containing more ^3He than ^2H or ^3H, were observed on 14 February, 29 June, and 5 September. The latter event was particularly interesting in that (^3He/^4He) ~ 6 and (^3He/^1H) ~ 1. Excluding these three events, flare-averaged ratios for ^2H/^1H and ^3H/^1H have been obtained for energies below 8.6 MeV/nuc. When compared with the ratios at higher energies, the observed energy dependence is consistent with the thin target model of Ramaty and Kozlovsky with a relativistic pathlength of ~ 1 g/cm^2. Flare-averaged ^3He results reported here might suggest a somewhat longer pathlength.

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