Numerical Investigation of the 2007 cosmic ray transient decrease events observed by

Voyager Spacecrafts
Xi Luo, Ming Zhang, Xueshang Feng, Eduardo Mendoza
*Contact: [email protected]

ABSTRACT
A realistic Global MHD heliosphere model was incorporated into the cosmic ray transport code. This MHD model has considered the effect of the interstellar neutral atoms on the solar wind plasma. Comparing with the Ⅱ Calculate Different parameters in the Parker’s cosmic ray equation using MHD data
MHD model without interstellar neutrals, the termination shock shape and location changes a lot. For example, the upwind location of the TS has moved from 70AU to 91 AU and the shape of the TS has become less
asymmetric. We investigate how the changes of termination shock also affect the transport of cosmic ray. From our initial simulation result, it has been shown that the cosmic ray intensity inside the termination shock Diffusion Tensor (Local Magnetic field coordinate system)
decreased as a result of these changes.

 κ || sin 2 φ + κ ⊥ cos 2 φ 0 κ || sin φ cos φ − κ ⊥ cos φ sin φ 

 
 0 1 0 
MOTIVATION B MHD Heliospheric Data
 
κ || sin φ cos φ − κ ⊥ cos φ sin φ 0 κ || cos 2 φ + κ ⊥ sin 2 φ 
The heliospheric MHD data is obtained by solving the coupled MHD-kinetic equations
The traditional Parker’s transport equation is based on the information of solar wind and
κ|| = (κ|| )0 β (
using finite volume method . Our coordinate system is defined as: X-axis is along solar rotation p b B a
magnetic field. Instead of using some empirical model, MHD theory can solve the
axis, the z-axis belongs to the plane formed by the x-axis and the plasma velocity vector in the ) || ( e ) ||
interaction problem of solar wind plasma and interstellar medium and provide a more
unperturbed LISM, and is directed upstream into it, Y-axis completes this orthogonal coordinate 1GeVc−1 B
realistic data for cosmic ray transport equation.
system.
Previously, there is some model to study cosmic ray transport in a MHD heliospheric p b⊥ Be a⊥
data without considering the interstellar neutral atoms. However, it was found that the 4 i −1 4i κ⊥ = (κ⊥ )0 β( ) ( )
interstellar neutral atoms will affect the structure of the heliosphere, for example, the 1 e 216 − 1 e 216 − 1 1Gevc−1 B
r (i) = 10 + × 1190 × ( 4 + 4 )
termination shock will become less asymmetric. In this study, we want to explore how 2 e −1 e −1
the cosmic ray behave in such a realistic MHD heliospheric data.
j − 0.5 v
θ ( j) = ×π i ∈ [1, 220 ] v pv v B
140 Drift Speed Vd = ∇×( 2 )
SIMULATION MODEL j ∈ [1,140 ] 3q B
ϕ (k ) =
k
×π k ∈ [1, 79 ]
Ⅰ Cosmic Ray Modulation Model 79
SIMULATION RESULT
Parker Transport Equation is equivalent to two The Mesh grid system used in the MHD data
Stochastic Differential Equations
∂f vv v v 1 v ∂f
= ∇ ⋅ κ ⋅ ∇ f − ( V sw + V d ) ⋅ ∇ f + ∇ ⋅V p Using the above simulation code, some initial simulation results are obtained.
∂t 3 ∂p
Distribution Function (An ensemble of
particles )

dx = 2κ ⋅ dw(s) + (∇ ⋅ κ − Vsw − Vd )ds

dp = 13 ∇ ⋅ Vsw pds
Individual particle’s characteristics

Ⅱ Heliospheric MHD Model

A Formulated Problem

MagnetoHydroDynamic (MHD) theory is used to study the interaction between the solar
Figure 1: The MHD data used in our simulation. The left panel shows the magnetic field magnitude in the
wind and interstellar medium (ISM). The magnetic field and solar wind speed is a natural
X-Z plane; while the right panel shows the solar wind speed in the same plane.
solution of a set of MHD equations (See following). Figure 3: Comparision of
Figure 2: The simulated radial flux for proton with
∂ρ v different energy. The location of the Simulated Energy spectrum at
+ ∇ ⋅ ( ρv ) = 0 ( Mass cons ervation ) ρ Mass Density termination shock is also shown in the same plot. The Voyager 1 location with
∂t
v vv v v radial gradient varies with different energy. observation
∂ ( ρv) vv BB B v
+ ∇ ⋅ ( ρv v + p0 Iˆ − )=− × ∇ ⋅ B ( Momentum c onservatio n ) v Solar Wind Velocity INCORPORATION STRATEGY
∂t 4π 4π
v P0 Total Pressure
∂B v v vv v v CONCLUSIONS
+ ∇ ⋅ (v B − Bv ) = − v × ∇ ⋅ B ( Magnetic flux conservati on ) v ⅠMHD data interpolation
∂t B Magnetic Field
v v v v v
∂e v B (v ⋅ B ) v ⋅B 1. A realistic MHD heliosphere data which takes into account of the interstellar neutral atoms was
+ ∇ ⋅ [(e + p0 )v − ]=− × ∇ ⋅ B ( Energy conservati on ) e Total Energy Density In order to obtain the magnetic field and solar wind speed at any arbitrary point (r , θ i −1 , ϕ )
∂t 4π 4π
incorporated into the cosmic ray modulation code.
(r, θ, φ) inside the simulation domain, the discrete MHD data need to be interpolated.
2. Some simulation results were obtained. The radial flux shows that the radial gradient is nearly the
same for different energy cosmic rays but varies inside heliosheath. In addition, the radial flux
This basic set of MHD equations above does not include the effects of partially ionized
Step 1, use the bilinear interpolation method to obtain ( r , θ , ϕ i −1 ) (r,θ ,ϕ i )
and partially neutral gas (most are hydrogen) in the InterStellar Medium (ISM). To jumps at the location of termination shock.
include the interstellar neutral atoms, the MHD equations above should include the the values at the point of (r(i−1), θ, φ) and (r(i), θ, 3. Our simulated spectrum agrees with Voyager 1’s spectrum in 2008
source terms in the momentum equation and energy equations. These source terms are φ) separately.
related to the neutral atoms’ distribution function which follows Boltzmann equation.
REFERENCES
Step 2, after obtaining the values at these two points, a (r , θ i , ϕ ) 1. Nikolai V. Pogorelov, Jacob Heerikhuisen, and G.P. Zank, 2008, Astrophysical Journal, L41, 675
∂ v F linear interpolation is adapted [r(i-1), θ, φ] [r(i), θ, φ] 2. Zhang, Ming, 1999, ApJ, 513, 409
fH + v ⋅∇ fH + ∇ v ⋅ fH = p − L to get the local value at the point (r, θ, φ).
∂t mp 3. Bryan Ball, et. al., 2005, ApJ, 634, 1116
4. Jokipii, J. R., & Thomas, B., 1981, ApJ, 243, 1115