English

Average spatial distribution of cosmic rays behind the interplanetary shock -Global Muon Detector Network observations-

Solar and Stellar Astrophysics 2016-07-13 v1 Space Physics

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 \sim 60 GV GCRs than in NM data responding to \sim 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, GyG_y shows a negative (positive) enhancement in FDs caused by the eastern (western) eruptions, while GzG_z 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 GzG_z 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

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