Changes in the energy spectrum of anomalous oxygen during 1977–1985

Abstract

We have used data from the cosmic ray experiments on the Voyager and Pioneer 10 spacecraft during the period 1977–1985 to measure the energy spectrum of oxygen with 4–125 MeV/nucleon, with particular emphasis on the energy interval from ∼4 to 30 MeV/nucleon, where the “anomalous” component of cosmic rays is dominant. This time period includes the sunspot minimum period at the beginning of solar cycle 21, the time of the solar magnetic field reversal in 1980, the maximum solar modulation period of 1981–1983, and part of the recovery of the solar cycle through early 1985. We find that the spectrum of anomalous oxygen changes dramatically after the middle of 1980, with the peak or plateau region of the differential spectrum shifting to a higher energy. This change does not appear to be due to the increasing radial distance of the spacecraft in this time period, nor does it appear to be simply correlated with the level of modulation. The energy shift also appears to be significantly greater in the ecliptic plane than at 24° north latitude (the heliographic position of Voyager 1 at the end of the time period).