Very local interstellar spectra for galactic electrons, protons and helium

Abstract

The local interstellar spectra (LIS) for cosmic rays at energies below ∼30 GeV/nuc are increasingly obscured from view at Earth by solar modulation, the lower the energy becomes. These charged particles encounter significant changes in the heliosphere, over an 11-year cycle, which include processes such as convection, diffusion, adiabatic energy losses and gradient, curvature and current sheet drifts. Particle drifts cause charge-sign-dependent modulation and a 22-year cycle, adding complexity to determining the respective very LIS from observations only at Earth. However, with measurements now made by the Voyager 1 spacecraft in the vicinity of the heliopause, it is possible to determine a very LIS for galactic electrons between ∼5 and ∼120 MeV. At these low energies, also galactic protons observed in the outer heliosphere had been completely obscured by the so-called anomalous component which is accelerated inside the heliosheath. Since August 2012, these anomalous cosmic rays are substantially depleted at Voyager 1 so that for cosmic ray ions, it is now possible to obtain a lower limit to their very LIS. Combining numerical modelling of solar modulation with the accurate measurements by the PAMELA mission and with Voyager observations, the lower limit of the very LIS for electrons, protons and helium and other ions can be determined from ∼5 MeV and above. These spectra are called heliopause spectra which is considered to be the lowest possible very LIS. Also, from an astrophysics point of view, the determination of what can be called a very LIS, not just an averaged galactic spectrum, is encouraging. The mentioned aspects are discussed, focusing on a comparison of recent heliospheric observations and corresponding solar modulation modelling.