Anomalous cosmic rays in the heliosheath

Abstract

We report on Voyager 1 and 2 observations of anomalous cosmic rays in the outer heliosphere. The energy spectrum of anomalous cosmic ray helium as each spacecraft crossed the solar wind termination shock into the heliosheath remained modulated. Assuming the intensity gradient between the two spacecraft is purely radial, we find that radial gradients in the heliosheath of He with 11.6–22.3 MeV/nuc and with ∼61–73MeV/nuc∼61–73 MeV/nuc are 4.9±1.2%/AU4.9±1.2%/AU and 0.0±0.5%/AU,0.0±0.5%/AU, respectively. Strong temporal variations of the 11.6–22.3 MeV/nuc He intensity at both spacecraft were observed in 2005 just after Voyager 1 crossed the termination shock and while Voyager 2 was upstream. After 2006.0, the intensity variations are more moderate and likely due to a combination of spatial and temporal variations. As of early 2008, the anomalous cosmic ray He energy spectrum has unfolded to what may be a source spectrum. The spectrum at Voyager 2 remains modulated. We examine three recent models of the origin of anomalous cosmic rays in light of these observations.

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