On the Acceleration Site of Anomalous Cosmic Rays: Voyager 2 Observations of Their Anisotropy in the Heliosheath

We present the diffusive flow anisotropy vector components for ∼0.5–35 MeV anomalous cosmic-ray (ACR) protons observed during Voyager 2 roll maneuvers for the magnetometer instrument in the inner heliosheath. The diffusive flow results are derived from the differences between the observed anisotropy...

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Main Authors: A. C. Cummings, J. Kóta, J. D. Richardson, J. S. Rankin, B. C. Heikkila
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: IOP Publishing 2024-01-01
Series:The Astrophysical Journal
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ad8e66
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author A. C. Cummings
J. Kóta
J. D. Richardson
J. S. Rankin
B. C. Heikkila
author_facet A. C. Cummings
J. Kóta
J. D. Richardson
J. S. Rankin
B. C. Heikkila
author_sort A. C. Cummings
collection DOAJ
description We present the diffusive flow anisotropy vector components for ∼0.5–35 MeV anomalous cosmic-ray (ACR) protons observed during Voyager 2 roll maneuvers for the magnetometer instrument in the inner heliosheath. The diffusive flow results are derived from the differences between the observed anisotropy components presented in A. C. Cummings et al. (2021) and the Compton–Getting anisotropies based on measurements of the solar wind speeds from the Plasma Science instrument. We find that the tangential component of the derived diffusive anisotropy vector is in reasonable agreement, both in direction and magnitude, with a numerical model of the acceleration and transport of ACRs by diffusive shock acceleration along a nonspherical solar wind termination shock (TS). The results suggest that there exists a diffusive flow of these particles from the flank or tail of the heliosphere toward the nose, and support models in which higher-energy ACRs are accelerated in the flank or tail of the TS.
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spelling doaj-art-94e350c40a854e0d9405ac4c28dac5e12024-12-04T07:55:45ZengIOP PublishingThe Astrophysical Journal1538-43572024-01-0197717610.3847/1538-4357/ad8e66On the Acceleration Site of Anomalous Cosmic Rays: Voyager 2 Observations of Their Anisotropy in the HeliosheathA. C. Cummings0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3840-7696J. Kóta1J. D. Richardson2https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4041-7540J. S. Rankin3https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8111-1444B. C. Heikkila4California Institute of Technology , Pasadena, CA 91125, USA ; ace@srl.caltech.eduUniversity of Arizona , Tucson, AZ 85721, USAMassachusetts Institute of Technology , Cambridge, MA 02139, USAPrinceton University , Princeton, NJ 08544, USANASA Goddard Space Flight Center , Greenbelt, MD 20771, USAWe present the diffusive flow anisotropy vector components for ∼0.5–35 MeV anomalous cosmic-ray (ACR) protons observed during Voyager 2 roll maneuvers for the magnetometer instrument in the inner heliosheath. The diffusive flow results are derived from the differences between the observed anisotropy components presented in A. C. Cummings et al. (2021) and the Compton–Getting anisotropies based on measurements of the solar wind speeds from the Plasma Science instrument. We find that the tangential component of the derived diffusive anisotropy vector is in reasonable agreement, both in direction and magnitude, with a numerical model of the acceleration and transport of ACRs by diffusive shock acceleration along a nonspherical solar wind termination shock (TS). The results suggest that there exists a diffusive flow of these particles from the flank or tail of the heliosphere toward the nose, and support models in which higher-energy ACRs are accelerated in the flank or tail of the TS.https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ad8e66Cosmic rays
spellingShingle A. C. Cummings
J. Kóta
J. D. Richardson
J. S. Rankin
B. C. Heikkila
On the Acceleration Site of Anomalous Cosmic Rays: Voyager 2 Observations of Their Anisotropy in the Heliosheath
The Astrophysical Journal
Cosmic rays
title On the Acceleration Site of Anomalous Cosmic Rays: Voyager 2 Observations of Their Anisotropy in the Heliosheath
title_full On the Acceleration Site of Anomalous Cosmic Rays: Voyager 2 Observations of Their Anisotropy in the Heliosheath
title_fullStr On the Acceleration Site of Anomalous Cosmic Rays: Voyager 2 Observations of Their Anisotropy in the Heliosheath
title_full_unstemmed On the Acceleration Site of Anomalous Cosmic Rays: Voyager 2 Observations of Their Anisotropy in the Heliosheath
title_short On the Acceleration Site of Anomalous Cosmic Rays: Voyager 2 Observations of Their Anisotropy in the Heliosheath
title_sort on the acceleration site of anomalous cosmic rays voyager 2 observations of their anisotropy in the heliosheath
topic Cosmic rays
url https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ad8e66
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