Anomalous Cosmic Rays: The Principal Source of High Energy Heavy Ions in the Radiation Belts
Abstract
Recent observations from SAMPEX have shown that "anomalous cosmic rays" are the principal source of high energy (> 10MeV/nuc) heavy ions trapped in the radiation belts. This component of interplanetary particles is known to originate from interstellar atoms that has been accelerated to high energies in the outer heliosphere. The mechanism by which anomalous cosmic rays with ~1 to ~50 Me V/nuc are trapped in a radiation belt at L ≈ 2 has now been verified. We discuss models for accelerating and trapping anomalous cosmic rays and review observations of their composition, energy spectra, pitch angle distribution, and time variations. Extrapolation of the fluxes observed at ~600 km to higher altitude and other time periods is also discussed.
Additional Information
© 1996 American Geophysical Union. This work was supported by NASA under contract NAS5-30704 and grant NAGW-1919. We appreciate contributions to this work by our SAMPEX colleagues B. Blake, A. Cummings, B. Klecker, R. Leske, G. Mason, J. Mazur, E. Stone, and T. von Rosenvinge. We thank B. Klecker, R. Pyle, and J. Simpson for the use of unpublished data in Figure 2.Attached Files
Published - 1996-04.pdf
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Additional details
- Eprint ID
- 46484
- Resolver ID
- CaltechAUTHORS:20140624-144420724
- NASA
- NAS5-30704
- NASA
- NAGW-1919
- Created
-
2014-06-25Created from EPrint's datestamp field
- Updated
-
2021-11-10Created from EPrint's last_modified field
- Caltech groups
- Space Radiation Laboratory
- Series Name
- Geophysical Monograph
- Series Volume or Issue Number
- 97
- Other Numbering System Name
- Space Radiation Laboratory
- Other Numbering System Identifier
- 1996-04