On Using the ACR to Probe the Lism/Heliosphere Interface

Abstract

A spherically symmetric model of diffusive shock acceleration is used to derive the energy spectra of several species in the anomalous cosmic rays. It is found that, if the efficiency factor for converting the kinetic energy of the supersonic solar wind to the ACR is on the order of 0.2, the solar wind termination shock would probably locate at rs ≈ 120 AU. This estimate is consistent with the location of the heliopause obtained by the argument of pressure balance, but is much larger than the value (55 AU) derived from a consideration of the radial gradients of galactic cosmic rays in interplanetary space.