Probing the heliosphere with the directional anisotropy of galactic cosmic-ray intensity

Abstract

Because of the large detector volume that can be deployed, ground-based detectors remain state-of-the-art instrumentation for measuring high-energy galactic cosmic-rays (GCRs). This paper demonstrates how useful information can be derived from observations of the directional anisotropy of the high-energy GCR intensity, introducing the most recent results obtained from the ground-based observations. The anisotropy observed with the global muon detector network (GMDN) provides us with a unique information of the spatial gradient of the GCR density which reflects the large-scale magnetic structure in the heliosphere. The solar cycle variation of the gradient gives an important information on the GCR transport in the heliosphere, while the short-term variation of the gradient enables us to deduce the large-scale geometry of the magnetic flux rope and the interplanetary coronal mass ejection (ICME). Real-time monitoring of the precursory anisotropy which has often been observed at the Earth preceding the arrival of the ICME accompanied by a strong shock may provide us with useful tools for forecasting the space weather with a long lead time. The solar cycle variation of the Sun's shadow observed in the TeV GCR intensity is also useful for probing the large-scale magnetic structure of the solar corona. © 2012 International Astronomical Union.