On the origin of observed cosmic ray spectrum below 100 TV

Mikhail A. Malkov, Igor V. Moskalenko

Published 2021-05-10, updated 2022-05-16Version 2

Recent precise measurements of primary and secondary cosmic rays (CRs) in the TV rigidity domain have unveiled a bump in their spectra, located between 0.5-50 TV. We argue that a local shock may generate such a bump by increasing the rigidity of the preexisting CRs below 50 TV by a mere factor of ~1.5. Reaccelerated particles below ~0.5 TV are convected with the interstellar medium (ISM) flow and do not reach the Sun, thus creating the bump. This single universal process is responsible for the observed spectra of all CR species in the rigidity range below 100 TV. We propose that one viable shock candidate is the Epsilon Eridani star at 3.2 pc from the Sun, which is well-aligned with the direction of the local magnetic field. Other shocks, such as old supernova shells, may produce a similar effect. We provide a simple formula, Eq. (9), that reproduces the spectra of all CR species with only two nonadjustable shock parameters, uniquely derived from the proton data. We show how our formalism predicts helium and carbon spectra and the B/C ratio.