Unusual anisotropic wave trains in cosmic rays

Several workers have attempted to find out the possible origin of the “high amplitude wave trains” of enhanced diurnal variation of cosmic rays and to develop a suitable realistic theoretical model that can explain the different harmonics in individual days. The various observed harmonics of the cosmic-ray variation may be understood on a unified basis if the free-space cosmic-ray anisotropy is non-sinusoidal in form. The major objective of this paper is to study the first three harmonics of high-amplitude wave trains of cosmic-ray intensity over the period 1981–1994 for Deep River neutron monitoring station. The main characteristic of these events is that the high-amplitude wave trains show a maximum intensity of diurnal component in a direction earlier than 18:00 h/co-rotational direction. It is noteworthy that the amplitude significantly enhanced and the phase remains in the co-rotational direction during the years close to solar-activity maximum for first harmonic. Significant deviations have been observed in the semi-diurnal amplitude after the onset of solar-activity maximum. This leads us to conclude that the amplitude as well as direction of the first harmonic and the amplitude of second harmonic are correlated with solar-activity cycle during these HAEs. The amplitude and phase of all the three harmonics (diurnal/semi-diurnal/tri-diurnal) are not found to depend on the polarity of Bz component of interplanetary magnetic field for long-term variation. The occurrence of high-amplitude events is dominant for the positive polarity of Bz component of IMF. The occurrence of HAEs is dominant during the period of average solar-wind velocity, but their occurrence during HSSWSs cannot be denied. The possibility of occurrence of these events is more during the periods of co-rotating streams. The occurrence of HAE is dominant when Dst-index remains negative and this point is not reported earlier in the litterature. All the high amplitude events occurred, when geomagnetic activity index, Ap, remains ⩽20.     

Low amplitude anisotropic wave trains in cosmic rays

In the present study the occurrence of an unusual class of low amplitude anisotropic wave trains in the cosmic ray neutron intensity, which is distinctly different from the average diurnal variation as well as from other recognized types of low amplitude anisotropic wave trains are noted and the directional distribution in the interplanetary space determined. The major objective of this paper is to study the first three harmonics of low amplitude anisotropic wave trains of cosmic ray intensity over the period 1981–1994 for Deep River neutron monitoring station. The significant characteristic of these events is that the low amplitude wave trains shows a maximum intensity of diurnal component in a direction earlier than 18:00 h/co-rotational direction. It is noticed that these events are not caused either by the high-speed solar wind streams or by the sources on the Sun responsible for producing these streams such as polar coronal holes. However the possibility of occurrence of these events during high-speed solar wind streams cannot be denied. The occurrence of low amplitude events is dominant for positive polarity of B_z. The disturbance storm time index i.e. D_st, remains consistently negative only for majority of the low amplitude wave train events, which is never been reported earlier. The amplitude as well as direction of first two harmonics seems to remain unaffected with the variation in the D_st and A_p-index. However, the amplitude as well as direction of third harmonic found to deviates with the increase of D_st and A_p-index. The corotating streams produce significant deviations in cosmic ray intensity as well as in solar wind speed during low amplitude anisotropic wave train events.     

Interplanetary turbulences causing unusual anisotropic wave trains in cosmic rays

The various observed harmonics of the cosmic ray variation may be understood on a unified basis if the free space cosmic ray anisotropy is non-sinusoidal in form. The major objective of this paper is to study the first three harmonics of high amplitude wave trains of cosmic ray intensity over the period 1991–1994 for Deep River Neutron Monitoring Station. The main characteristic of these events is that the high amplitude wave trains shows a maximum intensity of diurnal component in a direction earlier than 1800 Hr/co-rotational direction. It is noticed that these events are not caused either by the high-speed solar wind streams or by the sources on the Sun responsible for producing these streams such as polar coronal holes. The direction of semi-diurnal anisotropy shows negative correlation with Bz. The occurrence of high amplitude events is dominant for the positive polarity of Bz component of IMF. The diurnal amplitude of these events shows a negative and the time of maximum shows a weak correlation with disturbance storm time index Dst. The direction of tri-diurnal anisotropy of these events is found to significantly correlate with geomagnetic activity index Ap.     

The mass composition of cosmic rays near 10 eV as deduced from measurements made at Volcano Ranch

Linsley used the Volcano Ranch array to collect data on the lateral distribution of showers produced by cosmic rays at energies above 10¹⁷ eV. Very precise measurements of the steepness of the lateral distribution function were made on 366 events. The current availability of sophisticated hadronic interaction models has prompted an interpretation of the measurements. In this analysis we use the Monte Carlo code to generate showers, together with to simulate the detector response to ground particles. The results show that, with the assumption of a bi-modal proton and iron mix, iron is the dominant component of cosmic rays near 10¹⁸ eV, assuming that hadronic interactions are well-described by at this energy range. The Volcano Ranch data set, as available to us, does not allow a straightforward assignment of energy for each event. It is thus not possible to give the energy dependence of the mass composition.     

Harmonics of high-amplitude wave trains in cosmic ray intensity

Using the ground based neutron monitor data of Deep River, the high-amplitude anisotropic wave train events (HAE) in cosmic ray intensity have been investigated during the period 1991-1994. It has been observed that the phase of diurnal anisotropy for majority of HAE shifts towards later hours; whereas it remains in the corotational/18-h direction for some of the HAE cases. Further, for majority of HAE cases the amplitude of diurnal and semi-diurnal anisotropy significantly deviates from the annual average values. The phase of semi-diurnal and tri-diurnal anisotropy for all HAE cases has shifted to later hours. Furthermore, for tri-diurnal anisotropy the amplitude remains statistically the same. The occurrence of HAE is unaffected by the nature of the B_z component of IMF polarity.     

Harmonics of exceptionaly low amplitude anisotropic wave train events in cosmic ray intensity

The unusually low amplitude anisotropic wave train events (LAEs) in cosmic ray intensity using the ground based Deep River neutron monitor data has been studied during the period 1991–94. It has been observed that the phase of the diurnal anisotropy for the majority of the LAE events remains in the co-rotational direction. However, for some of the LAE events the phase of the diurnal anisotropy shifts towards earlier hours as compared to the annual average values. On the other hand, the amplitude of the semi-diurnal anisotropy remains statistically the same, whereas phase shift-towards later hours; a similar trend has also been found in case of tri-diurnal anisotropy. The high-speed solar wind streams do not play a significant role in causing the LAE events. The occurrence of LAE is independent of the nature of the Bz component of IMF polarity. Published in Astrofizika, Vol. 50, No. 2, pp. 313–324 (May 2007).     

Statistical acceleration of cosmic rays in anisotropic turbulent medium

Acceleration of cosmic rays interacting with the anisotropic magnetohydrodynamic turbulent medium is studied. Particle acceleration is caused by a large-scale electric field arising in a turbulent medium due to the α-effect. A comparison is made of equilibrium spectra of cosmic rays, characteristic of the specific acceleration mechanism, with the energy distribution of particles corresponding to the statistical Fermi acceleration.     

Gamma-ray bursts, ultra-high-energy cosmic rays, and cosmic gamma-ray background

We argue that gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) may be the origin of the cosmic gamma-ray background radiation observed in the GeV range. It has theoretically been discussed that protons may carry a much larger amount of energy than electrons in GRBs, and this large energy can be radiated in the TeV range by synchrotron radiation of ultra-high-energy protons ( 10²⁰ eV). The possible detection of GRBs above 10 TeV suggested by the Tibet and HEGRA groups also supports this idea. If this is the case, most of TeV gamma-rays from GRBs are absorbed in intergalactic fields and eventually form GeV gamma-ray background, whose flux is in good agreement with the recent observation.     

Shock acceleration of solar cosmic rays

We investigated the acceleration of solar cosmic rays (SCRs) by the shock waves produced by coronal mass ejections. We performed detailed numerical calculations of the SCR spectra produced during the shock propagation in the solar corona in terms of a model based on the diffusive transport equation using a realistic set of physical parameters for the corona. The resulting SCR energy spectrum N(ε) ∝ ε^?γ exp [? (ε/ε_max)^α] is shown to include a power-law portion with an index γ?2 that ends with an exponential tail with α ? 2.5 ? β, where β is the spectral index of the background Alfvén turbulence. The maximum SCR energy lies within the range ε_max = 1–300 MeV, depending on the shock velocity. Because of the steep spectrum of the SCRs, their backreaction on the shock structure is negligible. The decrease in the Alfvén Mach number of the shock due to the increase in the Alfvén velocity with heliocentric distance r causes the efficient SCR acceleration to terminate when the shock reaches a distance of r = 2–3R_⊙. Since the diffusive SCR propagation in this case is faster than the shock expansion, SCR particles intensively escape from the shock vicinity. A comparison of the calculated SCR fluxes expected near the Earth’s orbit with available experimental data indicates that the theory satisfactorily explains all of the main observed features.     

Diffusion of cosmic rays in a multiphase interstellar medium swept-up by a supernova remnant blast wave

Supernova remnants (SNRs) are one of the most energetic astrophysical events and are thought to be the dominant source of Galactic cosmic rays (CRs). A recent report on observations from the Fermi satellite has shown a signature of pion decay in the gamma-ray spectra of SNRs. This provides strong evidence that high-energy protons are accelerated in SNRs. The actual gamma-ray emission from pion decay should depend on the diffusion of CRs in the interstellar medium. In order to quantitatively analyse the diffusion of high-energy CRs from acceleration sites, we have performed test particle numerical simulations of CR protons using a three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) simulation of an interstellar medium swept-up by a blast wave. We analyse the diffusion of CRs at a length scale of order a few pc in our simulated SNR, and find the diffusion of CRs is precisely described by a Bohm diffusion, which is required for efficient acceleration at least for particles with energies above 30 TeV for a realistic interstellar medium. Although we find the possibility of a superdiffusive process (travel distance ∝ t^0.75) in our simulations, its effect on CR diffusion at the length scale of the turbulence in the SNR is limited.     

Transport of cosmic rays in the solar corona

A model is proposed to explain the transport of energetic protons in the solar corona. The particles are assumed to undergo an enhanced gradient-B drift along thin current sheets separating discontinuous field structures in the corona. These discontinuities may represent the extension into the corona of photospheric granular and supergranular cell boundaries. We have made a quantitative analysis of this process by assuming that the particle propagation can be described by a diffusion equation. Comparison of predictions of the model with cosmic ray observations at 1 AU provide some support for the model.     

Possible origin of clusters in ultra-high-energy cosmic rays

We estimate the detection rate of ultra-high-energy cosmic rays on ground-based arrays by assuming that the cosmic-ray sources are active galactic nuclei. We analyze the cases of detection of clusters, several particles that arrived, within the error limits, from the same area of the sky. The adopted model is shown to explain the detection rate of clusters on the AGASA array.     

Feedback heating by cosmic rays in clusters of galaxies

Recent observations show that the cooling flows in the central regions of galaxy clusters are highly suppressed. Observed active galactic nuclei (AGN)-induced cavities/bubbles are a leading candidate for suppressing cooling, usually via some form of mechanical heating. At the same time, observed X-ray cavities and synchrotron emission point towards a significant non-thermal particle population. Previous studies have focused on the dynamical effects of cosmic ray pressure support, but none has built successful models in which cosmic ray heating is significant. Here, we investigate a new model of AGN heating, in which the intracluster medium is efficiently heated by cosmic rays, which are injected into the intra-cluster medium (ICM) through diffusion or the shredding of the bubbles by Rayleigh–Taylor or Kelvin–Helmholtz instabilities. We include thermal conduction as well. Using numerical simulations, we show that the cooling catastrophe is efficiently suppressed. The cluster quickly relaxes to a quasi-equilibrium state with a highly reduced accretion rate and temperature and density profiles which match observations. Unlike the conduction-only case, no fine-tuning of the Spitzer conduction suppression factor f is needed. The cosmic ray pressure, P _c/ P _g ≲ 0.1 and ∇ P _c≲ 0.1ρ g , is well within observational bounds. Cosmic ray heating is a very attractive alternative to mechanical heating, and may become particularly compelling if Gamma-ray Large Array Space Telescope ( GLAST ) detects the γ-ray signature of cosmic rays in clusters.     

Energy losses of solar cosmic rays in interplanetary space

A simple model of solar cosmic ray propagation which includes diffusion, convection, and energy loss by adiabatic deceleration is studied. A Monte Carlo technique is employed to investigate the variation of mean particle energy in the interplanetary medium after the impulsive release of mono-energetic particles at the Sun. At 1 AU typical energy losses are 43% at 20 h and 64% at 60 h after particle release for a diffusion coefficient (r)= ₀r with =+1/2 and ₀=1.33 × 10²¹ cm² s^–1. When ₀ in this model is reduced by a factor of 4, the energy loss is greater by a factor of 2 at 60 h after particle release. When is increased, the energy losses are greater. Using the model parameters above, an increase in solar wind speed from 300 to 600 km s^–-1 gives rise to energy losses that are greater again by factor of 2 at a time of 60 h. Results are compared with an observation by Murray et al. (1971) of a knee in the energy spectrum of solar protons. It is not considered likely that the change in the energy of the knee with time requires, in addition to adiabatic deceleration, another energy change process which acts to increase the energy of particles.Part of this work was performed while the author was at CSIRO, Division of Radiophysics, Epping, NSW, Australia; also supported in part by the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission.     

Propagation of galactic cosmic rays in the outer heliosphere

The propagation of galactic cosmic rays in heliospheric magnetic fields is studied. An approximate solution to the cosmic ray transport equation has been derived on the basis of a method that takes into account the small value of anisotropy of particle angular distribution. The spatial and energy distributions of the cosmic ray intensity and anisotropy have been investigated, and estimates of cosmic ray energy flux have been carried out.     

Electrons in a closed galaxy model of cosmic rays

We consider the consistency of positrons and electrons with a propagation model in which the cosmic rays are stopped by nuclear collisions or energy losses before they can escape from the Galaxy (the closed-galaxy model). The fact that we find no inconsistency between the predictions and the data implies that the protons which produce the positrons by nuclear reactions could have their origin in a large number of distant sources, as opposed to the heavier nuclei which in this model come from a more limited set of sources. The closed-galaxy model predicts steep electron and positron spectra at high energies. None of these are inconsistent with present measurements; but future measurements of the spectrum of high-energy positrons could provide a definite test for the model. The closed-galaxy model also predicts that the interstellar electron intensity below a few GeV is larger than that implied by other models. The consequence of this result is that electron brems-strahlung is responsible for about 50% of the galactic gamma-ray emission at photon energies greater than 100 MeV.     

The time-dependent transport of cosmic rays in the heliosphere

The modulation of cosmic rays (CRs) in the heliosphere is a dynamic and therefore a highly time-dependent process. Numerical models with only a time-dependent neutral sheet prove to be successful when moderate to low solar activity occurs but fail to describe large and discrete steps in modulated CRs when solar activity is high. To explain this feature of heliospheric modulation, the concept of global merged interaction regions (GMIRs) is required. The combination of gradient, curvature and neutral sheet drifts with these GMIRs has so far been the most successful approach in explaining the 11-year and 22-year cycles in the long-term modulation of CRs.     

PeV gamma rays from interactions of ultra high energy cosmic rays in the Milky Way

The PeV gamma ray background produced in the interactions of ultra high energy cosmic rays with the ambient matter and radiations during their propagation in the Milky Way has been calculated in this paper. If the primary ultra high energy cosmic rays are produced from Galactic point sources then those point sources are also emitting PeV gamma rays. We discuss that the detection of galactocentric PeV gamma rays in the future would be a signature of the presence of EeV cosmic accelerators in the Milky Way.