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At least 451 records · Page 25
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1978

Comment on 'The origin of transient cosmic ray intensity variations' by S. P. Duggal and M. A. Pomerantz

Transient Forbush decreases in galactic cosmic ray intensity have generally been linked to interplanetary shocks and solar flares. However, Duggal and Pomerantz (1977) have concluded that the majority of transient intensity variations of galactic cosmic rays cannot be assigned directly to specific solar flares. The object of the present paper is to show that the observations of Duggal and Pomerantz are in fact consistent with the solar flare origin of most transient cosmic ray reductions (i.e., with the solar flare hypothesis). The consistency of the Duggal-Pomerantz observations with the flare hypothesis is demonstrated on the basis of a statistical model of modulation which reproduces the essential features of their observations. In response to the present analysis (by Parker), Duggal and Pomerantz have presented additional arguments to the effect that the majority of transient intensity modifications (not necessarily Forbush decreases) during the period 1964-1974 were indeed related to the central meridian passage of active centers rather than to any other visible solar feature.

Parker, G. D.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Nitrogen isotopes in lunar soils as a measure of cosmic-ray exposure and regolith history

Previous studies have shown that the bulk of the nitrogen in soils has been implanted by the solar wind, that the N-15/N-14 ratio of the implanted nitrogen has apparently increased with time, and that both soils and rocks contain a nitrogen component greatly enriched in N-15, relative to natural abundance ratios, due to cosmic-ray spallation. An investigation was, therefore, conducted to test the feasibility of using spallation-produced N-15 for determining cosmic-ray exposure ages. Samples from several depths in the Apollo 15 deep drill core were analyzed. The data obtained have also been evaluated with regard to possible models for the prior history of the material now in the Apollo 15 core. In addition, analyses have been performed of several other soil samples considered for various reasons to be of particular interest, such as orange soil 74220 and its companion 74240, Apollo 16 drill core sample 60002, and the apparently peculiar fillet soil 67461. Wherever possible, analyses were carried out by step-wise heating rather than by total pyrolysis. On the basis of the results of the investigation it is concluded that nitrogen isotope ratio determinations provide a usable method for determining cosmic-ray exposures for soils.

Becker, R. H.↗
NASA NTRS1978

The cosmic gamma-ray background from the annihilation of primordial stable neutral heavy leptons

The spectra and intensities of gamma radiation from (1) a homogeneous cosmic lepton background (2) a possible lepton halo around the Galaxy, and (3) integrated background radiation from possible lepton halos around other galaxies and from rich galaxy clusters are examined. Heavy-lepton annihilation radiation from the halos of other galaxies accounts for at most 0.005 of the background intensity, and the radiation from rich clusters account for at most 0.00005 of the background intensity. It is suggested that lepton annihilation fluxes from a galactic halo would be confused with cosmic-ray produced radiation and would therefore be difficult to observe. Radiation from a homogeneous cosmological lepton background might account for approximately 0.0001 of the observed cosmic gamma ray background. Energy spectrum and isotropy are considered.

Stecker, F. W.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Relativistic Be-7 - A probe of cosmic-ray acceleration

The cosmic-ray Be-7/Be ratio was observed to be 0.6 below 500 MeV/nucleon, as expected from spallation reactions, but then to drop sharply to 0.4 by 1500 MeV/nucleon. This measurement suggests that primary cosmic rays traverse some material at their sources, producing Be-7 which picks up electrons and decays by K capture during or after the acceleration to relativistic energies. All cosmic rays then enter interstellar space, where further pickup is negligible.

Buffington, A.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Acceleration and transport of galactic cosmic rays

A recently proposed cosmic-ray acceleration mechanism is combined with a model of transport and loss from the Galaxy to construct a model for galactic cosmic rays. Various aspects of the cosmic-ray spectrum, including the secondary-to-primary ratio as a function of energy, are found to fit naturally into the overall picture. A solution to the dynamical-halo model with energy-dependent diffusion coefficient (kappa) is presented. This model is consistent with the observed spectra if kappa is proportional to the square root of the kinetic energy. The observed flattening of the secondary-to-primary ratio below about 1-2 GeV per nucleon is shown to be a natural consequence of the model. Similarly, the primary electron spectrum is predicted to flatten below about 1-2 GeV, which is consistent with deconvolution of the local nonthermal radio spectrum, although the flattening is not quite as much as indicated by the observations.

Jokipii, J. R.↗
NASA NTRS1978

UH cosmic rays - Possible origin in massive stars

The origin of the Z greater than 28, ultraheavy (UH) cosmic rays in supernova explosions of massive stars, at least about 10 solar masses, is considered. For Z greater than 70, the UH data are dominated by an r-process source distribution, but for the elements just beyond iron, Z from 29 to 36, the data cannot be explained by any single process of nucleosynthesis. This problem is solved naturally in a massive-star model by secondary neutron-capture reactions occurring during core helium burning (a limited s-process) and during explosive carbon burning. Interstellar-propagation calculations have been performed with these episodes of synthesis as source distributions, and the results offer an explanation for the current UH cosmic-ray data. Further, the heavy-element synthesis during explosive carbon burning is re-examined by using more realistic initial conditions given by the post-helium-burning configuration of the star. These results are compared with earlier work and the UH cosmic-ray data. Some effects of preferential acceleration, based upon ionization potential, are considered, and experimental tests for this model are discussed.

Wefel, J. P.↗
NASA NTRS1978

The isotopic composition of galactic cosmic ray lithium, beryllium and boron

The isotopic composition of galactic-cosmic-ray Li, Be, and B has been measured near 100 MeV/nucleon by using the University of Chicago IMP 7 and IMP 8 cosmic-ray telescopes during 1973-1975. The measured abundances allow detailed checks of models of interstellar propagation and solar modulation to be made and conclusions to be drawn concerning the spectral forms at the source and the minimum solar modulation level. For example, comparing these results with local interstellar spectra calculated by using a 'leaky box' model, it is found that if solar modulation is ignored, there is no unique leakage mean free path consistent with all the observations. However, by taking account of a sizable level of residual solar modulation, excellent agreement is obtained between the calculated and measured abundances. Thus, these isotopic abundances confirm the old hypothesis that cosmic-ray Li, Be, and B are produced as secondaries in interstellar space.

Garcia-Munoz, M.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Cosmic ray isotope abundances from chromium to nickel

IRIS, a telescope consisting of a large-area precision Cerenkov detector, scintillators, spark chambers, and a passive stack of Lexan polycarbonate track detectors, was exposed to the primary cosmic radiation for 6.6 sq m sr hr in a balloon flight in 1976. This measurement has yielded the isotopic composition of the iron-group elements Cr, Mn, Fe, and Ni with an average mass resolution of 0.65 amu for the energies 320-500 MeV per amu at the detector. This experiment places the most severe constraints to date on deviation from solar-system composition of the source of the cosmic radiation. Upper limits of 10 percent are placed on the ratios Fe-54/Fe-56 and Fe-58/Fe-56, which are inconsistent with large departures from solar system source composition reported by other workers. The isotopic measurements of Fe and Ni preclude the possibility that these cosmic rays were produced in a single e-process zone. The mean mass of Mn is less than 55, indicating the presence of electron-capture species produced by spallation.

Tarle, G.↗
NASA NTRS1979

A secondary tracer approach to the derivation of galactic cosmic-ray source isotopic abundances

A formalism has been developed for deriving cosmic-ray source isotopic abundances from observed local abundances using a purely secondary nuclide as a tracer of spallation production during propagation. Although the formalism is based on the leaky-box model of cosmic-ray propagation, it is shown that source abundances derived by the tracer technique are reasonably independent of detailed propagation models. The tracer formalism also permits a quantitative evaluation of the effects of observational uncertainties on deduced source abundances. It is shown that statistical errors in the observed abundances and uncertainties in the spallation cross sections are at present the dominant sources of uncertainty. The latter error can be reduced with increased detector size or exposure time, while the former can be minimized by measurements of the relative production cross sections. As a specific example, the tracer technique is applied to the isotopes of sulfur and calcium, and the level of uncertainties which must be achieved to distinguish evolutionary differences between solar-system material and cosmic ray-source material are established.

Stone, E. C.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Cosmic ray ionization of the Jovian atmosphere

An approximate form of the Boltzmann equation has been used to obtain local ionization rates due to the absorption of galactic cosmic rays in the Jovian atmosphere. It is shown that the muon flux component of the cosmic-ray-induced cascade may be especially important in ionizing the atmosphere at levels where the total number density exceeds 10 to the 19th per cu cm (well below the ionospheric layers produced by solar EUV). A model containing both positive and negative ion reactions has been employed to compute electron and ion number densities. Peak electron number densities of the order of 1000 per cu cm may be expected even at relatively low magnetic latitudes. The dominant positive ions are NH4(+) and CnHm(+) cluster ions, with n at least 2; it is suggested that the absorption of galactic cosmic-ray energy at such relatively high pressures in the Jovian atmosphere (M about 10 to the 18th to 10 to the 20th per cu cm) and the subsequent chemical reactions may be instrumental in the local formation of complex hydrocarbons.

Capone, L. A.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Coronal holes, solar diurnal anisotropy of cosmic rays and off-ecliptic interplanetary magnetic fields

The information regarding the electromagnetic states of the interplanetary medium, derived from the analyses of the cosmic ray intensity variations observed with a global network of cosmic ray detectors such as neutron monitors and muon telescopes, is reviewed. The relation of the temporal characteristics of the cosmic ray solar diurnal anisotropy to the large scale characteristics of the interplanetary magnetic field, far away from the ecliptic plane, is addressed. A model for the phenomenon is described.

Ahluwalia, H. S.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Solar coronal holes and cosmic ray intensity variations

A relationship between the (North-South) asymmetry in the areas of the solar polar coronal holes and the (North-South) anisotropy in the cosmic ray intensity is examined. The investigation was extended over a period of two years, using ground based observations of coronal brightness obtained by the K-Coronameter. Periods for study of cosmic ray variations were chosen maximizing the asymmetry of the polar coronal holes. The importance of the role played by coronal holes in the solar modulation of galactic cosmic rays is emphasized.

Venkatesan, D.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Satellite measurements of the isotopic composition of galactic cosmic rays

The individual isotopes of galactic cosmic ray Ne, Mg, and Si at 100 MeV/nucleon were clearly resolved with an rms mass resolution of 0.20 amu. The results suggest the cosmic ray source is enriched in Ne-22, Mg-25, and Mg-26 when compared to the solar system. The ratio of (Mg-25)+(Mg-26) to Mg-24, which is approximately 0.49 compared to the solar system value of 0.27, suggest that the cosmic ray source and solar system material were synthesized under different conditions.

Mewaldt, R. A.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Origin of cosmic magnetic fields

Reasons for describing cosmic hydromagnetic phenomena by introducing electric currents are summarized demonstrating that change from the traditional magnetic field description to a current description provides new aspects of cosmic electrodynamics. It is shown that the kink-instability of electric currents is the basic physical phenomenon responsible for magnetic flux generation in cosmic physics. A model which starts with a poloidal magnetic field is discussed; differential motions change the field configuration so that kinetic energy is transferred into magnetic energy of induced toroidal fields; the currents associated with these become unstable when the toroidal energy exceeds the poloidal energy resulting in an amplification of the original poloidal field.

Alfven, H.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Energy spectra of cosmic-ray nuclei to above 100 GeV per nucleon

Energy spectra of cosmic-ray nuclei boron to iron have been measured from 2 GeV per nucleon to beyond 100 GeV per nucleon. The data were obtained using an ionization calorimeter flown on a balloon from Palestine, Texas. The 3450 kg payload floated at 7 g/sq cm for almost 24 hours. The results are in excellent agreement with those of other workers where overlaps exist. The spectra are not consistent with single power laws, and demonstrate the power of using a single technique sensitive over a large dynamic range. The data are consistent with the leaky box model of cosmic-ray propagation. The boron data indicate that the cosmic-ray escape length decreases with increasing energy as E to the -(0.4 + or - 0.1) up to 100 GeV per nucleon. Secondary nuclei from iron are also consistent with this dependence. Predicted changes in the energy dependence of the ratios of primary nuclei O/C and (Fe + Ni)/(C + O) are also observed.

Simon, M.↗
NASA NTRS1980

The elemental abundances of hydrogen through nickel in the low energy cosmic rays

The relative abundances of the elements H through Ni in the galactic cosmic rays have been measured in the energy range 70-280 MeV/nucleon with the University of Chicago cosmic ray telescope on board the satellite IMP-8 from January 1973 to September 1978. Cosmic ray source abundances have been derived by extrapolating the measured composition back to the source. A key factor in the propagation calculation is the use of a pathlength distribution and a solar modulation level shown to be consistent with the secondary to primary ratios and their energy dependence below about 1 GeV/n.

Garcia-Munoz, M.↗
NASA NTRS1980

The energy dependence of the ratios of secondary to primary elements in the cosmic radiation

The secondary to primary ratios B/C, N/O and (Sc-Mn)/Fe in the galactic cosmic rays have been measured in the overall energy interval 30-180 MeV/n with the University of Chicago cosmic ray telescope on board the satellite IMP-8 during the period 1974-1978. These results, together with the values of the same ratios measured at higher energies, have been compared to the results of cosmic ray propagation calculations using different pathlength distributions (PLD) and different levels of solar modulation, in order to select a single set of parameters consistent with all the measured ratios.

Garcia-Munoz, M.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Carbon, nitrogen and oxygen isotopes in the low energy galactic cosmic rays

The isotopes of C, N, and O in the galactic cosmic rays were measured in the 45-106 Mev/nucleon range with data collected during 1973-77 by the cosmic-ray telescope onboard the IMP-7 spacecraft. The ratios of (N-15)/N, (C-13)/C, and ((O-18)/O agreed with previous measurements. Cosmic ray propagation and solar modulation indicate that the measured N isotopic ratio is in agreement with a source ratio of (N-14)/O = 0.03, which is much lower than the solar system abundance ratio.

Guzik, T. G.↗