Comment on ‘Magnetosheath burst of predominantly medium nuclei observed with Imp 8 on February 16, 1974’ by T. P. Armstrong, S. M. Krimigis, and R. P. Lepping

Abstract

Armstrong et al. (1978) report the observation of a unique series of charged particle bursts with an unusually high content of Z >2 particles and a high degree of collimation from the direction of the sun. These bursts were observed only with their CPME (charged particle measurement experiment) instrument on Imp 8, while not with the CPME on Imp 7. No indication has been seen for heavy ion bursts comparable in intensity to those reported by Armstrong et al. (1978) with the ULET (ultralow energy telescope) instrument of the University of Maryland/Max‐Planck‐Institut experiment on Imp 8 at the same time. It is noted that the ULET counting rates observed on Imp 8 are fully compatible with the CPME rates observed on the Imp 7 spacecraft. We conclude that the CPME and the ULET data from Imp 8 during these periods do not agree, and this casts doubt on the correctness of the CPME results for these special events.