The time evolution of the low-energy deuteron fluxes measured in Cosmic Rays with the PAMELA experiment from the 23rd solar minimum to the 24th solar maximum

Abstract

The space-borne PAMELA experiment was launched on the 15th of June 2006 on board the Russian satellite Resurs-DK1 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome. The PAMELA instrument performed high-precision measurements of cosmic rays over a wide energy range until January 2016.

We present the yearly average deuteron spectra for the 23rd solar minimum (July 2006 – January 2009) and the first part of the 24th solar maximum (until September 2014). The deuterons were selected with a rigidity between 0.75 and 2.6 GV by combining the Time of Flight (ToF) and the tracker systems. The measured spectra display a rising trend toward the solar minimum followed by a decreasing trend as the solar maximum approaches. The corresponding deuteron-to-proton flux ratios show time dependence at the lowest rigidities, as expected due to the different charge-to-mass ratios and the different shapes of the respective local interstellar spectra. These results are significant for the fine-tuning of propagation and modulation models of cosmic rays through the heliosphere.