Low amplitude anisotropic wave trains in cosmic rays

Abstract

In the present study the occurrence of an unusual class of low amplitude anisotropic wave trains in the cosmic ray neutron intensity, which is distinctly different from the average diurnal variation as well as from other recognized types of low amplitude anisotropic wave trains are noted and the directional distribution in the interplanetary space determined. The major objective of this paper is to study the first three harmonics of low amplitude anisotropic wave trains of cosmic ray intensity over the period 1981–1994 for Deep River neutron monitoring station. The significant characteristic of these events is that the low amplitude wave trains shows a maximum intensity of diurnal component in a direction earlier than 18:00 h/co-rotational direction. It is noticed that these events are not caused either by the high-speed solar wind streams or by the sources on the Sun responsible for producing these streams such as polar coronal holes. However the possibility of occurrence of these events during high-speed solar wind streams cannot be denied. The occurrence of low amplitude events is dominant for positive polarity of B z . The disturbance storm time index i.e. D st, remains consistently negative only for majority of the low amplitude wave train events, which is never been reported earlier. The amplitude as well as direction of first two harmonics seems to remain unaffected with the variation in the D st and A p-index. However, the amplitude as well as direction of third harmonic found to deviates with the increase of D st and A p-index. The corotating streams produce significant deviations in cosmic ray intensity as well as in solar wind speed during low amplitude anisotropic wave train events.