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Probe of the Solar Magnetic Field Using the “Cosmic-Ray Shadow” of the Sun

M. Amenomori et al.
Phys. Rev. Lett. 111, 011101 – Published 1 July 2013
Physics logo See Synopsis: Catching Rays in the Sun’s Shadow

Abstract

We report on a clear solar-cycle variation of the Sun’s shadow in the 10 TeV cosmic-ray flux observed by the Tibet air shower array during a full solar cycle from 1996 to 2009. In order to clarify the physical implications of the observed solar cycle variation, we develop numerical simulations of the Sun’s shadow, using the potential field source surface model and the current sheet source surface (CSSS) model for the coronal magnetic field. We find that the intensity deficit in the simulated Sun’s shadow is very sensitive to the coronal magnetic field structure, and the observed variation of the Sun’s shadow is better reproduced by the CSSS model. This is the first successful attempt to evaluate the coronal magnetic field models by using the Sun’s shadow observed in the TeV cosmic-ray flux.

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  • Received 30 March 2013

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.111.011101

© 2013 American Physical Society

Synopsis

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Catching Rays in the Sun’s Shadow

Published 1 July 2013

Cosmic rays deflected by the Sun’s magnetic field may reveal the nature of the Sun’s corona, as demonstrated by a multiyear analysis of cosmic-ray observations from a ground array.

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Vol. 111, Iss. 1 — 5 July 2013

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