A Very Local Interstellar Spectrum for Galactic Electrons

2013/08/07 by M. S. Potgieter, Potgieter, M. S., Vos, E. E. +4
Engineering · Physics and Astronomy · #Astronomical Observations and Instrumentation #FOS: Physical sciences #High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena (astro-ph.HE) #History and Developments in Astronomy #Photocathodes and Microchannel Plates #Solar and Stellar Astrophysics (astro-ph.SR)

paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.1308.1666

openalex publication_date 2013/08/07 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28

Abstract

We present a new local interstellar spectrum for cosmic ray electrons over an energy range from 1 MeV to 70 GeV. Below (0.8 plus minus 0.2) GeV it has a power law form, E^-(1.55 plus minus 0.05), with E kinetic energy, which is consistent with previous studies. This is derived from comparing Voyager 1 electron data observed during 2010 with a comprehensive modulation model. However, reproducing the PAMELA electron spectrum observed at Earth during late 2006 and to address an unexpected increase in the electron spectrum between about 2 GeV and up to about 20 GeV, a spectral index of -(3.3 plus minus 0.1) instead of the reported -(3.18 plus minus 0.05) was found for this energy range. This feature cannot be caused by solar modulation or any other process inside the heliosphere.

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