A ready-to-use galactic cosmic ray model

Abstract

Galactic cosmic ray nuclei close to Earth are of great importance in different fields of research. By studying their intensity in near-Earth interplanetary space and modeling their modulation in the heliosphere it is possible to gain knowledge both about the structure of the heliosphere and the transport processes within. Additionally, secondary phenomena like cloud formation, ionization processes in the atmosphere, cosmogenic nuclide production and radiation exposure in space and at aviation altitudes are related to the intensity of the galactic cosmic rays and their modulation in the heliosphere. In order to improve the knowledge about these processes and underlying mechanisms it is often beneficial to perform numerical simulations. A necessary prerequisite for such simulations is a model describing the galactic cosmic ray intensities for all particle types and energies of importance. Several of these models exist in the literature. However, many of these do not provide essential characteristics like the description of heavier nuclei or it is difficult to associate them to recent or actual solar modulation conditions. In this work a model is presented which describes the galactic cosmic ray spectra of nuclei based on a single parameter. The values of this parameter for different solar modulation conditions are derived from measurements of the Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) spacecraft and Oulu neutron monitor count rates. Comparing the galactic cosmic ray spectra predicted by the model to a comprehensive set of experimental data from literature shows very good agreement.