A Study of Temporal and Radial Dependencies of the Anomalous Helium and Oxygen Nuclei

Abstract

The intensity of the low energy anomalous Helium and Oxygen components has been continuously monitored by telescopes on the Pioneer 10 and IMP 7 and 8 spacecraft since 1972. After a period of relatively small temporal changes at earth between 1972 and 1978, during which it was possible to study the radial gradients of these components out to ~ 15 AU, large temporal changes were observed in 1978-1980 associated with the onset of the new solar modulation cycle. During this time period the anomalous He and 0 intensities at Pioneer 10 have decreased by a factor > 10, however, both anomalous components were still present in the summer of 1980 at ~ 20AU. At the earth similar large intensity changes have occurred. At Pioneer 10 the relative modulation of He nuclei is ~1.4x that of 0 nuclei at the same energy/nuc during this time period.

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