Cosmic ray anisotropies to 5 PeV

Abstract

Several large cosmic ray (CR) detectors have recently provided data on the arrival directions of CR, which taken together with previous data recorded over many decades allow the amplitude and phase of the first harmonic to be derived with reasonable precision and up to higher energies. We find a high degree of consistency amongst the various measurements. The new data indicate that at an energy above ∼ 0.1 PeV a change of the CR anisotropy sets in. The amplitude of the first harmonic, which rises to 3 TeV, then diminishes and begins to rise again. The direction of the phase also changes to the opposite one. A measure of understanding follows from the use of two-dimensional maps of cosmic ray excesses over the mean background. When the energy of cosmic rays approaches the PeV region, the excess of cosmic rays moves from the Galactic Anti-Centre to the opposite direction of the Galactic Centre. The possible role of such potential cosmic ray sources as the supernovae Monogem Ring and Vela, which could help to explain some of the observed results, is discussed.