Average spatial distribution of cosmic rays behind the interplanetary shock -Global Muon Detector Network observations-
Abstract
We analyze the galactic cosmic ray (GCR) density and its spatial gradient in Forbush Decreases (FDs) observed with the Global Muon Detector Network (GMDN) and neutron monitors (NMs). By superposing the GCR density and density gradient observed in FDs following 45 interplanetary shocks (IP-shocks), each associated with an identified eruption on the sun, we infer the average spatial distribution of GCRs behind IP-shocks. We find two distinct modulations of GCR density in FDs, one in the magnetic sheath and the other in the coronal mass ejection (CME) behind the sheath. The density modulation in the sheath is dominant in the western flank of the shock, while the modulation in the CME ejecta stands out in the eastern flank. This east-west asymmetry is more prominent in GMDN data responding to 60 GV GCRs than in NM data responding to 10 GV GCRs, because of softer rigidity spectrum of the modulation in the CME ejecta than in the sheath. The GSE-y component of the density gradient, shows a negative (positive) enhancement in FDs caused by the eastern (western) eruptions, while shows a negative (positive) enhancement in FDs by the northern (southern) eruptions. This implies the GCR density minimum being located behind the central flank of IP-shock and propagating radially outward from location of the solar eruption. We also confirmed the average changing its sign above and below the heliospheric current sheet, in accord with the prediction of the drift model for the large-scale GCR transport in the heliosphere.
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.1605.06591,
title = {Average spatial distribution of cosmic rays behind the interplanetary shock -Global Muon Detector Network observations-},
author = {M. Kozai and K. Munakata and C. Kato and T. Kuwabara and M. Rockenbach and A. Dal Lago and N. J. Schuch and C. R. Braga and R. R. S. Mendonça and H. K. Al Jassar and M. M. Sharma and M. L. Duldig and J. E. Humble and P. Evenson and I. Sabbah and M. Tokumaru},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1605.06591},
year = {2016}
}
Comments
54 pages, 11 figures, 1 table, accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal