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Galactic cosmic rays and anomalous components in the heliosphere
Author(s) -
McKibben R. B.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
reviews of geophysics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 8.087
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1944-9208
pISSN - 8755-1209
DOI - 10.1029/rg025i003p00711
Subject(s) - heliosphere , cosmic ray , physics , solar cycle , astrophysics , astronomy , solar maximum , modulation (music) , cosmic cancer database , solar wind , plasma , nuclear physics , acoustics
Studies of modulation of galactic cosmic rays by the sun and of the origin, acceleration, and modulation of the anomalous components are by definition long‐term undertakings. The time scale is that of the 11 (or 22) year solar activity cycle, and the system, the heliosphere, has a response time to changes of the order of a year. It is tempting to speculate that the tempo of research activity in the field may itself bear some relation to the solar activity cycle, with a phase lag appropriate to the time scales of data analysis and publication. If this speculation were true, since the last maximum in solar modulation occurred in 1981–82, the four years since the last review of modulation for the IUGG (Jones, 1983b) should have been a period of remarkable vitality and progress.