Unexpected Cyclic Behavior in Cosmic-Ray Protons Observed by PAMELA at 1 au

Abstract

Protons detected by the PAMELA experiment in the period 2006–2014 have been analyzed in the energy range between 0.40 and 50 GV to explore possible periodicities besides the well known solar undecennial modulation. An unexpected clear and regular feature has been found at rigidities below 15 GV, with a quasi-periodicity of ∼450 days. A possible Jovian origin of this periodicity has been investigated in different ways. The results seem to favor a small but not negligible contribution to cosmic rays from the Jovian magnetosphere, even if other explanations cannot be excluded.