232 research outputs found
Revised GLE database : Fluences of solar energetic particles as measured by the neutron-monitor network since 1956
Aims. Continuous measurements of ground-based neutron monitors (NMs) form the main data source for studying high-energy high-intensity solar energetic particle (SEP) events that are called ground-level enhancements (GLEs). All available data are collected in the International GLE Database (IGLED), which provides formal NM count-rate increases above the constant pre-increase level which is due to galactic cosmic rays (GCR). This data set is used to reconstruct the energy spectra of GLE events. However, the assumption of a constant GCR background level throughout GLE events is often invalid. Here we thoroughly revise the IGLED and provide a data set of detrended NM count-rate increases that accounts for the variable GCR background. Methods. The formal GLE count-rate increases were corrected for the variable GCR background, which may vary significantly during GLE events. The corresponding integral omnidirectional fluences of SEPs were reconstructed for all GLEs with sufficient strength from the detrended data using the effective rigidity method. Results. The database of the detrended NM count rate is revised for GLE events since 1956. Integral omnidirectional fluences were estimated for 58 GLE events and parametrised for 52 sufficiently strong events using the modified Ellison-Ramaty spectral shape. Conclusions. The IGLED was revised to account for the variable GCR background. Integral omnidirectional fluences reconstructed for most of GLE events were added to IGLED. This forms the basis for more precise studies of parameters of SEP events and thus for solar and space physics.Peer reviewe
Time dependence of the electron and positron components of the cosmic radiation measured by the PAMELA experiment between July 2006 and December 2015
Cosmic-ray electrons and positrons are a unique probe of the propagation of
cosmic rays as well as of the nature and distribution of particle sources in
our Galaxy. Recent measurements of these particles are challenging our basic
understanding of the mechanisms of production, acceleration and propagation of
cosmic rays. Particularly striking are the differences between the low energy
results collected by the space-borne PAMELA and AMS-02 experiments and older
measurements pointing to sign-charge dependence of the solar modulation of
cosmic-ray spectra. The PAMELA experiment has been measuring the time variation
of the positron and electron intensity at Earth from July 2006 to December 2015
covering the period for the minimum of solar cycle 23 (2006-2009) till the
middle of the maximum of solar cycle 24, through the polarity reversal of the
heliospheric magnetic field which took place between 2013 and 2014. The
positron to electron ratio measured in this time period clearly shows a
sign-charge dependence of the solar modulation introduced by particle drifts.
These results provide the first clear and continuous observation of how drift
effects on solar modulation have unfolded with time from solar minimum to solar
maximum and their dependence on the particle rigidity and the cyclic polarity
of the solar magnetic field.Comment: 11 pages, 2 figure
Time dependence of the proton flux measured by PAMELA during the July 2006 - December 2009 solar minimum
The energy spectra of galactic cosmic rays carry fundamental information
regarding their origin and propagation. These spectra, when measured near
Earth, are significantly affected by the solar magnetic field. A comprehensive
description of the cosmic radiation must therefore include the transport and
modulation of cosmic rays inside the heliosphere. During the end of the last
decade the Sun underwent a peculiarly long quiet phase well suited to study
modulation processes. In this paper we present proton spectra measured from
July 2006 to December 2009 by PAMELA. The large collected statistics of protons
allowed the time variation to be followed on a nearly monthly basis down to 400
MV. Data are compared with a state-of-the-art three-dimensional model of solar
modulation.Comment: 17 pages, 5 figures, 1 table, to appear in Astrophysical Journal.
Corrected two elements of Table
Time dependence of the e^- flux measured by PAMELA during the July 2006 - December 2009 solar minimum
Precision measurements of the electron component in the cosmic radiation
provide important information about the origin and propagation of cosmic rays
in the Galaxy not accessible from the study of the cosmic-ray nuclear
components due to their differing diffusion and energy-loss processes. However,
when measured near Earth, the effects of propagation and modulation of galactic
cosmic rays in the heliosphere, particularly significant for energies up to at
least 30 GeV, must be properly taken into account. In this paper the electron
(e^-) spectra measured by PAMELA down to 70 MeV from July 2006 to December 2009
over six-months time intervals are presented. Fluxes are compared with a
state-of-the-art three-dimensional model of solar modulation that reproduces
the observations remarkably well.Comment: 40 pages, 18 figures, 1 tabl
Geomagnetically trapped, albedo and solar energetic particles: trajectory analysis and flux reconstruction with PAMELA
The PAMELA satellite experiment is providing comprehensive observations of
the interplanetary and magnetospheric radiation in the near-Earth environment.
Thanks to its identification capabilities and the semi-polar orbit, PAMELA is
able to precisely measure the energetic spectra and the angular distributions
of the different cosmic-ray populations over a wide latitude region, including
geomagnetically trapped and albedo particles. Its observations comprise the
solar energetic particle events between solar cycles 23 and 24, and the
geomagnetic cutoff variations during magnetospheric storms. PAMELA's
measurements are supported by an accurate analysis of particle trajectories in
the Earth's magnetosphere based on a realistic geomagnetic field modeling,
which allows the classification of particle populations of different origin and
the investigation of the asymptotic directions of arrival.Comment: Accepted for publication in Advances in Space Research, 2016. 21
pages, 7 figure
Search for anisotropies in cosmic-ray positrons detected by the PAMELA experiment
The PAMELA detector was launched on board of the Russian Resurs-DK1 satellite
on June 15, 2006. Data collected during the first four years have been used to
search for large-scale anisotropies in the arrival directions of cosmic-ray
positrons. The PAMELA experiment allows for a full sky investigation, with
sensitivity to global anisotropies in any angular window of the celestial
sphere. Data samples of positrons in the rigidity range 10 GV R
200 GV were analyzed. This article discusses the method and the results of the
search for possible local sources through analysis of anisotropy in positron
data compared to the proton background. The resulting distributions of arrival
directions are found to be isotropic. Starting from the angular power spectrum,
a dipole anisotropy upper limit \delta = 0.166 at 95% C.L. is determined.
Additional search is carried out around the Sun. No evidence of an excess
correlated with that direction was found.Comment: The value of the dipole anisotropy upper limit has been changed. The
method is correct but there was a miscalculation in the relative formul
Measurement of the isotopic composition of hydrogen and helium nuclei in cosmic rays with the PAMELA experiment
The satellite-borne experiment PAMELA has been used to make new measurements
of cosmic ray H and He isotopes. The isotopic composition was measured between
100 and 600 MeV/n for hydrogen and between 100 and 900 MeV/n for helium
isotopes over the 23rd solar minimum from July 2006 to December 2007. The
energy spectrum of these components carries fundamental information regarding
the propagation of cosmic rays in the galaxy which are competitive with those
obtained from other secondary to primary measurements such as B/C.Comment: 11 pages, 11 figures, 5 tables. To appear in Astrophysical Journa
PAMELA's measurements of geomagnetic cutoff variations during solar energetic particle events
Data from the PAMELA satellite experiment were used to measure the
geomagnetic cutoff for high-energy ( 80 MeV) protons during the solar
particle events on 2006 December 13 and 14. The variations of the cutoff
latitude as a function of rigidity were studied on relatively short timescales,
corresponding to single spacecraft orbits (about 94 minutes). Estimated cutoff
values were cross-checked with those obtained by means of a trajectory tracing
approach based on dynamical empirical modeling of the Earth's magnetosphere. We
find significant variations in the cutoff latitude, with a maximum suppression
of about 6 deg for 80 MeV protons during the main phase of the storm. The
observed reduction in the geomagnetic shielding and its temporal evolution were
compared with the changes in the magnetosphere configuration, investigating the
role of IMF, solar wind and geomagnetic (Kp, Dst and Sym-H indexes) variables
and their correlation with PAMELA cutoff results.Comment: Conference: The 34th International Cosmic Ray Conference (ICRC2015),
30 July - 6 August, 2015, The Hague, The Netherlands, Volume:
PoS(ICRC2015)28
Solar energetic particle events: trajectory analysis and flux reconstruction with PAMELA
The PAMELA satellite experiment is providing first direct measurements of
Solar Energetic Particles (SEPs) with energies from about 80 MeV to several GeV
in near-Earth space, bridging the low energy data by other space-based
instruments and the Ground Level Enhancement (GLE) data by the worldwide
network of neutron monitors. Its unique observational capabilities include the
possibility of measuring the flux angular distribution and thus investigating
possible anisotropies. This work reports the analysis methods developed to
estimate the SEP energy spectra as a function of the particle pitch-angle with
respect to the Interplanetary Magnetic Field (IMF) direction. The crucial
ingredient is provided by an accurate simulation of the asymptotic exposition
of the PAMELA apparatus, based on a realistic reconstruction of particle
trajectories in the Earth's magnetosphere. As case study, the results for the
May 17, 2012 event are presented.Comment: Conference: The 34th International Cosmic Ray Conference (ICRC2015),
30 July - 6 August, 2015, The Hague, The Netherlands, Volume:
PoS(ICRC2015)08
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