Geomagnetic effects on cosmic ray propagation under different conditions for Buenos Aires and Marambio, Argentina

The geomagnetic field (Bgeo) sets a lower cutoff rigidity (Rc) to the entry of cosmic particles to Earth which depends on the geomagnetic activity. From numerical simulations of the trajectory of a proton using different models for Bgeo (performed with the MAGCOS code), we use backtracking to analyze particles arriving at the location of two nodes of the net LAGO (Large Aperture Gamma ray burst Observatory) that will be built in the near future: Buenos Aires and Marambio (Antarctica), Argentina. We determine the asymptotic trajectories and the values of Rc for different incidence directions, for each node. Simulations were done using several models for Bgeo that emulate different geomagnetic conditions. The presented results will help to make analysis of future observations of the flux of cosmic rays done at these two LAGO nodes.Comment: 9 page

Superposed epoch study of ICME sub-structures near Earth and their effects on galactic cosmic rays

Interplanetary coronal mass ejections (ICMEs) are the interplanetary manifestations of solar eruptions. The overtaken solar wind forms a sheath of compressed plasma at the front of ICMEs. Magnetic clouds (MCs) are a subset of ICMEs with specific properties (e.g. the presence of a flux rope). When ICMEs pass near Earth, ground observations indicate that the flux of galactic cosmic rays (GCRs) decreases. The main aims of this paper are to find: common plasma and magnetic properties of different ICME sub-structures, and which ICME properties affect the flux of GCRs near Earth. We use a superposed epoch method applied to a large set of ICMEs observed \insitu\ by the spacecraft ACE, between 1998 and 2006. We also apply a superposed epoch analysis on GCRs time series observed with the McMurdo neutron monitors. We find that slow MCs at 1 AU have on average more massive sheaths. We conclude that it is because they are more effectively slowed down by drag during their travel from the Sun. Slow MCs also have a more symmetric magnetic field and sheaths expanding similarly as their following MC, while in contrast, fast MCs have an asymmetric magnetic profile and a compressing sheath in compression. In all types of MCs, we find that the proton density and the temperature, as well as the magnetic fluctuations can diffuse within the front of the MC due to 3D reconnection. Finally, we derive a quantitative model which describes the decrease of cosmic rays as a function of the amount of magnetic fluctuations and field strength. The obtained typical profiles of sheath/MC/GCR properties corresponding to slow, mid, and fast ICMEs, can be used for forecasting/modelling these events, and to better understand the transport of energetic particles in ICMEs. They are also useful for improving future operative space weather activities.Comment: 13 pages, 6 figures, paper accepted in A&

Role of break-up processes in fusion enhancement of drip-line nuclei at energies below the Coulomb barrier

We carry out realistic coupled-channels calculations for $^{11}$Be + $^{208}$Pb reaction in order to discuss the effects of break-up of the projectile nucleus on sub-barrier fusion. We discretize in energy the particle continuum states, which are associated with the break-up process, and construct the coupling form factors to these states on a microscopic basis. The incoming boundary condition is employed in solving coupled-channels equations, which enables us to define the flux for complete fusion inside the Coulomb barrier. It is shown that complete fusion cross sections are significantly enhanced due to the couplings to the continuum states compared with the no coupling case at energies below the Coulomb barrier, while they are hindered at above barrier energies.Comment: RevTex, 3 pages, 5 figure

Characterization of the Turbulent Magnetic Integral Length in the Solar Wind: From 0.3 to 5 Astronomical Units

The solar wind is a structured and complex system, in which the fields vary strongly over a wide range of spatial and temporal scales. As an example, the turbulent activity in the wind affects the evolution in the heliosphere of the integral turbulent scale or correlation length [{\lambda}], usually associated with the breakpoint in the turbulent-energy spectrum that separates the inertial range from the injection range. This large variability of the fields demands a statistical description of the solar wind. In this work, we study the probability distribution function (PDF) of the magnetic autocorrelation lengths observed in the solar wind at different distances from the Sun. We use observations from Helios, ACE, and Ulysses spacecraft. We distinguish between the usual solar wind and one of its transient components (Interplanetary Coronal Mass Ejections, ICMEs), and study also solar wind samples with low and high proton beta [\beta_p ]. We find that in the last 3 regimes the PDF of {\lambda} is a log-normal function, consistent with the multiplicative and non-linear processes that take place in the solar wind, the initial {\lambda} (before the Alfv\'enic point) being larger in ICMEs

Approximations in Fusion and Breakup reactions induced by Radioactive Beams

Some commonly used approximations for complete fusion and breakup transmission coefficients in collisions of weakly bound projectiles at near barrier energies are assessed. We show that they strongly depend on the adopted classical trajectory and can be significantly improved with proper treatment of the incident and emergent currents in the WKB approximation.Comment: 15 pages, 7 figure

The role of alpha particles in the emission of plasma waves inside solar ejecta

The enhancement of the resonant instability of right-hand polarized electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves by alpha particles for physical parameters corresponding to coronal mass ejections is studied. We focus on the effects of alpha thermal anisotropy and relative He++/H+ abundance on growth and absorption rates. The first parameter governs directly wave emission, while the second modifies also the wave speed and indirectly enhances the wave excitation

Evidence of Double Phonon Excitations in ^{16}O + ^{208}Pb Reaction

The fusion cross-sections for ^{16}O + ^{208}Pb, measured to high precision, enable the extraction of the distribution of fusion barriers. This shows a structure markedly different from the single-barrier which might be expected for fusion of two doubly-closed shell nuclei. The results of exact coupled channel calculations performed to understand the observations are presented. These calculations indicate that coupling to a double octupole phonon excited state in ^{208}Pb is necessary to explain the experimental barrier distributions.Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures, To be published in the Proceedings of the FUSION 97 Conference, South Durras, Australia, March 1997 (J. Phys. G

Dynamic effective potential for α-particle bound and quasibound states

We exploit analytic properties of the optical potential for elastic scattering of α particles on nuclei to extract information on the effective interaction that should be used to describe the motion of a cluster of two neutrons and two protons bound to a nuclear system. This prescription solves long-standing ambiguities in the formalisms used for the study of α decay.EU Human Capital and Mobility program ERBCHRX-CT92-007CICYT PB92-066

Progressive transformation of a flux rope to an ICME

The solar wind conditions at one astronomical unit (AU) can be strongly disturbed by the interplanetary coronal mass ejections (ICMEs). A subset, called magnetic clouds (MCs), is formed by twisted flux ropes that transport an important amount of magnetic flux and helicity which is released in CMEs. At 1 AU from the Sun, the magnetic structure of MCs is generally modeled neglecting their expansion during the spacecraft crossing. However, in some cases, MCs present a significant expansion. We present here an analysis of the huge and significantly expanding MC observed by the Wind spacecraft during 9 and 10 November, 2004. After determining an approximated orientation for the flux rope using the minimum variance method, we precise the orientation of the cloud axis relating its front and rear magnetic discontinuities using a direct method. This method takes into account the conservation of the azimuthal magnetic flux between the in- and out-bound branches, and is valid for a finite impact parameter (i.e., not necessarily a small distance between the spacecraft trajectory and the cloud axis). Moreover, using the direct method, we find that the ICME is formed by a flux rope (MC) followed by an extended coherent magnetic region. These observations are interpreted considering the existence of a previous larger flux rope, which partially reconnected with its environment in the front. These findings imply that the ejected flux rope is progressively peeled by reconnection and transformed to the observed ICME (with a remnant flux rope in the front part).Comment: Solar Physics (in press

Fusion barrier distributions in systems with finite excitation energy

Eigen-channel approach to heavy-ion fusion reactions is exact only when the excitation energy of the intrinsic motion is zero. In order to take into account effects of finite excitation energy, we introduce an energy dependence to weight factors in the eigen-channel approximation. Using two channel problem, we show that the weight factors are slowly changing functions of incident energy. This suggests that the concept of the fusion barrier distribution still holds to a good approximation even when the excitation energy of the intrinsic motion is finite. A transition to the adiabatic tunneling, where the coupling leads to a static potential renormalization, is also discussed.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures, Submitted to Physical Review