Welcome to the new version of CaltechAUTHORS. Login is currently restricted to library staff. If you notice any issues, please email coda@library.caltech.edu
Published February 4, 2020 | Submitted
Report Open

Voyager 1 Measurements Beyond the Heliopause of Galactic Cosmic Ray Helium, Boron, Carbon, Oxygen, Magnesium, Silicon and Iron Nuclei with Energies 0.5 to >1.5 GeV/nuc

Abstract

We have obtained the energy spectra of cosmic ray He, B, C, O, Mg, S and Fe nuclei in the range 0.5-1.5 GeV/nuc and above using the penetrating particle mode of the High Energy Telescope, part of the Cosmic Ray Science (CRS) experiment on Voyagers 1 and 2. The data analysis procedures are the same as those used to obtain similar spectra from the identical V2 HET telescope while it was in the heliosphere between about 23 and 54 AU. The time period of analysis includes 4 years of data beyond the heliopause (HP). These new interstellar spectra are compared with various earlier experiments at the same energies at the Earth to determine the solar modulation parameter, Φ. These new spectra are also compared with recent measurements of the spectra of the same nuclei measured by the same telescope at low energies. It is found that the ratio of intensities at 100 MeV/nuc to those at 1.0 GeV/nuc are significantly Z dependent. Some of this Z dependence can be explained by the Z² dependence of energy loss by ionization in the 7-10 g/cm² of interstellar H and He traversed by cosmic rays of these energies in the galaxy; some by the Z dependent loss due to nuclear interactions in this same material; some by possible differences in the source spectra of these nuclei and some by the non-uniformity of the source distribution and propagation conditions. The observed features of the spectra, also including a Z dependence of the peak intensities of the various nuclei, pose interesting problems related to the propagation and source distribution of these cosmic rays.

Additional Information

The authors are grateful to the Voyager team that designed and built the CRS experiment with the hope that one day it would measure the galactic spectra of nuclei and electrons. This includes the present team with Ed Stone as PI, Alan Cummings, Nand Lal and Bryant Heikkila, and to others who are no longer members of the team, F.B. McDonald and R.E. Vogt. Their prescience will not be forgotten. This work has been supported by NASA Grant NNN12AA01C.

Attached Files

Submitted - 1712.02818.pdf

Files

1712.02818.pdf
Files (963.1 kB)
Name Size Download all
md5:f21061dfa1358a20c2a6c3e8f7251504
963.1 kB Preview Download

Additional details

Created:
September 15, 2023
Modified:
October 23, 2023